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MENE TEKEL 

A Tale of Strange Happenings 


BY 

AUGUSTA GRONER 

AUTHOR OF "JOE MULLER, DETE’CTIVE,” ‘‘THE MAN WITH 
THE BLACK CORD,” ETC. 


ENGLISH VERSION BY- 

GRACE ISABEL COLBRON ^ 



NEW YORK 

DUFFIELD & COMPANY 

1912 



6 


4 






Copyright 1912, by 
DUFFIELD & COMPANY 





C Cl. A 3 1 4 5 0 4 


(l 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I Which Is in the Nature of an Introduction . . i 

II The Midnight Visit 7 

III Professor Clusius Throws Out a Hint .... 16 

IV The Problem and the Preparation 23 

V What the Fan Revealed 34 

VI The Ovation on Board the Pandora 50 

VII A Misunderstanding 66 

VIII Which Concerns Two People Only 72 

IX The Mysterious Photographs 82 

X An Interview and What Followed 92 

XI In Beyrout 107 

XII The Start 119 

XIII The Meeting in the Desert 127 

XIV Erna Makes a Discovery and Clusius Finds a 

Disciple 140 

XV An Ovation Amid the Ruins 156 

XVI An Audience That Fell Asleep 162 

XVII The Capture 179 

XVIII Love in the Desert 196 

XIX Amid the Shadows of the Past 209 

XX In the Halls of Belshazzar 222 

XXI The Trail of the Serpent 234 

An Epilogue in the Desert 241 



MENE TEKEL 


CHAPTER I 

WHICH IS IN THE NATURE OF AN INTRODUCTION 

“ This is exceedingly interesting,” exclaimed Joseph 
Muller, drawing his chair nearer to the window, to 
obtain a better light upon the newspaper in his 
hand. 

The well-known detective was enjoying an hour of 
unwonted leisure in his own rooms in Vienna. His 
modest lodgings were located in a quiet residential 
quarter of the town. Through the open window 
came a flood of warm sunshine, bringing a hint of 
spring, although the trees were still bare.* The chirp- 
ing quarrels of the birds added to the sense of country 
quiet. 

“ Most interesting,” murmured Muller again. 

The item of news which had so caught his attention 
was a despatch from Stockholm. 

“ Professor Clusius, the Wizard of Science, threw out 
hints of a remarkable new discovery in his lecture at 
the University yesterday. Without going into technical 
details, the noted scientist stated that he believed it pos- 
sible to find some process by which faded writing or col- 
ours could be restored to a surface on which they had 
been impressed, and also, any shadows or light impres- 
sions thrown on the surface by forms passing over or 
near it at any time. Professor Clusius would not make 
any more definite statement concerning the process by 
I 


2 


MENE TEKEE 


which such astonishing results could be obtained. _ But 
he told his hearers that he was about to start on a jour- 
ney to the Orient, in the course of which he hoped to 
perfect his experiments sufficiently to give out decisive 
information on his return. Professor Clusius’ standing 
in the world of science makes such promises from him 
of vital importance. Even outside scientific circles, the 
world will eagerly await his return from his voyage of 
research.” 

“ To bring back lost writing — to restore even the 
shadows of the forms which have passed before any 
surface — marvellous — hardly credible ! ” Muller 
spoke half aloud in his excitement. “ Why, it would 
be one of the greatest discoveries of all time! Think 
what I could do with such a process to help me in 
my work — ” Then he laughed aloud and his grey 
eyes twinkled. “ Still, I don’t know — if it should 
prove possible, where would I be? Anybody could 
do detective work then with the shadow-story of the 
crime unrolling itself before him. But the idea is 
fascinating — it would be a revealing of hidden mys- 
teries such as has never been heard of before. ,, 

The detective leaned back in his chair, looking up 
at the clear blue sky over which occasional fleecy 
white clouds floated. “ I wonder — if I had a chance 
in life — if I had been able to study, to delve into 
the mysteries of science — I wonder if then I could 
have done some little even of what this man does. 
I have imagination and the power to command its 
services — I can see what others do not see. But I 
feel so often the lack of early study. The thought 
of what the genius of a man like Clusius can do for 
the world is wonderful — wonderful.” 

The jingle of a bell outside penetrated Muller’s 
reverie. He sat up and waited, and a moment or two 
later there was a tap at his door. 

“ Some one for you, sir,” said his landlady, opening 


AN INTRODUCTION 


3 

the door sufficiently to admit the substantial form of 
an attendant from the police station. 

“ Letter from Commissioner von Riedau, Mr. 
Muller,” said the man. “ I’m to take back a reply.” 

Muller glanced hastily at the few lines of writing. 
“ Tell Commissioner von Riedau I will come over at 
once.” 

When the messenger had bowed himself out, Muller 
took up the newspaper that had fallen to the floor. 
“ Sorry ! I should have enjoyed a few days of rest, 
and I think I should have spent them in studying 
up a little on what Professor Clusius has already done. 
The hall-mark of a genius like that is his intuition, 
his winged imagination that can bring light into dark- 
ness. And how enviable in that he doesn’t have to 
delve into the depths of human misery to do it either, 
or to destroy human life to prove his own ability. 
Well — I mustn’t keep the Commissioner waiting.” 

“ Sorry to have to send for you, Muller, for you’ve 
earned a rest after your work on this last case,” said 
Commissioner von Riedau, when the detective stood 
before him. “ But it’s nothing very difficult this time. 
In fact you can look on it as a vacation with expenses 
paid. Sit down and I’ll explain.” 

Muller took a seat with his usual expression of 
quiet deference. 

“ This isn’t a case at all,” continued the Commis- 
sioner. “ It’s the sort of thing on which we don’t 
usually waste people like you. But there’s no one 
else at leisure who can be trusted, and I thought you 
might like a little jaunt. I have a private request 
here from London, from Scotland Yard, asking that 
a Secret Service man of trusted ability be sent to 
accompany the celebrated scientist, Professor Clusius, 
while the latter is passing through Austrian territory.” 

“ Professor Clusius of Stockholm?” asked Muller 
quickly. 


4 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Yes, do you know him? ” 

“ Only by reputation, as does all the world. I 
never saw him.’’ 

“ I wish you had seen him, for according to our 
information the Professor and his companions are 
likely to travel incognito to avoid publicity. The 
Professor is on his way to the Orient on a special 
mission of research.’’ 

“ Relating to his new discovery — the details of 
which have not yet been published,” said Muller. 

“ Muller, you always manage to surprise me ! 
Now how did you know that? ” 

“ Merest chance this time,” replied the detective 
with a cheery smile. “ I was reading about it in the 
papers just as you sent for me.” 

“ Professor Clusius is so famous that his incognito 
is likely to be discovered. There’s always some crank 
ready to make such a well-known man a mark for his 
envy, or his crazy revenge. Even curiosity can some- 
times prove harmful. Protection is asked for the 
Professor, but he must not know that he is being 
guarded, nor must any one else know it. I leave the 
choosing of your disguise to you, as usual.” 

“ You said the request came from Scotland Yard, 
sir. Professor Clusius is a Swede. How come the 
English police to ask protection for him?” 

“ It does sound queer, but the explanation is easy. 
The protection is asked not only for Professor Clusius, 
but for Lord Richard Tannemore, a well-known Eng- 
lish nobleman, who is travelling with the Professor.” 

“ Tannemore? Where have I heard that name?” 
said Muller. “ It was in connection with some recent 
police news.” 

“ Good Heavens, Muller, don’t let any one hear you 
say such a thing!” exclaimed the Commissioner. 
“ Lord Tannemore is a brother of the Earl of Wrex- 
ham, and is a scholar of note himself, an arch- 


AN INTRODUCTION 


5 

geologist, I understand — with special knowledge of 
Assyrian antiquity/’ 

“ All the same — yes — Assyria, that’s it. It was 
in connection with the breakdown of Burton, one of 
the best detectives Scotland Yard ever had. I re- 
member it now. Lord Tannemore — that is the man 
— proclaimed his belief that some collection of an- 
tiquities recently purchased by the British Museum 
was not genuine. It made talk and Burton was put 
on the case by Lord Tannemore. He could not bring 
any proof of the forgery and broke down completely 
over it, lost his mind. It wasn’t so very long ago — 
about a year, I think. I wonder if Professor Clusius’ 
journey has anything to do with this matter?” 

“ I couldn’t say. There was nothing in the de- 
spatch from London to that effect.” 

“ A little imagination can help even in reading 
despatches,” thought Muller. But he said nothing 
and listened as respectfully as before while his Chief 
continued : 

“ The despatch states that information will be sent 
us by the Swedish police as soon as the actual route 
taken by the Professor and his party is known, and 
the names that they have chosen to travel under. 
They will be obliged to obtain their passports and 
thus make their intentions known to the Swedish 
authorities. Be ready to start at any moment. Thus 
far we know only that they intend to enter Syria by 
way of Bey rout. You need not go any further than 
that point with them.” 

“ Please give me indefinite leave of absence, Com- 
missioner. I may want to go further than Beyrout; 
something may turn up.” 

“ It isn’t likely, but if you want the time, take it. 
You have earned a vacation. Our department has 
had secret orders for some time to pay particular 
attention to any request for assistance that might come 


6 


MENE TEKEE 


from England. We are told to be particularly polite 
to English wishes. That’s another reason why I am 
sending you on this job. You don’t mind going, do 
you ? ” asked the Commissioner, somewhat anxiously. 

“ Not in the least. In fact it will be most interest- 
ing to make the personal acquaintance, unofficially, of 
such a noted scholar. Have you read anything about 
the Professor’s newest discovery?” 

“ No; what is it?” 

“ Some process he has invented by which he hopes 
to restore lost writings — to make it possible even to 
call up on any surface the shadows of the figures 
which have passed between it and the light at any 
time, no matter how long before. You can imagine 
what that would mean for our department, Com- 
missioner. If this thing is feasible we can see the 
whole process of a murder, for instance, worked out 
in shadows on the wall of the room where it oc- 
curred.” 

“ Impossible,” declared the Commissioner. “ The 
thing can’t be done. These scientists have their 
visions, but precious few of them are ever translated 
into a form that will make them of use for us ordinary 
mortals. We of the police have to deal with facts, 
not visions.” 

“ And yet even we need the vision. What would 
the world be without the Vision? ” murmured Muller. 


CHAPTER II 


THE MIDNIGHT VISIT 

Professor Clusius put down his pen and looked at 
his watch. 

“ Midnight ! ” he murmured. “ I had no idea it 
was so late. I must not work any more to-night/’ 

With a half-regretful sigh the noted Swedish scien- 
tist pushed back his desk chair, rose and walked slowly 
to the window. 

The great park-like garden surrounding Professor 
Clusius’ home on one of the islands of Stockholm 
was famed throughout his own city and far beyond 
its limits. Trees and flowers from every zone grew 
there, braving the northern climate as if sustained 
by some miraculous power. And indeed popular 
opinion ascribed miraculous power to the man who 
lived there, the great explorer in the realm of science, 
whose world- fame was his country’s proudest boast. 

As he stood now at the broad window of his study 
looking out into the garden, the far-off hum of city 
traffic came faintly, even in the stillness of an early 
spring night. It was as if the busy bustling town 
were loath to disturb the labours or the repose of her 
greatest citizen. 

Clusius pressed a button by the window. “ Put 
out the lights in the large drawing-room, Klaus,” he 
said to the servant who appeared. “ I am tired and 
can see no one this evening.” 

“ There are three reporters waiting outside, sir,” 
replied Klaus. “ The gentleman from the New York 

7 , 


8 


MENE TEKEL 


Herald wants to cable some particulars about your 
latest discovery. What shall I tell them? ” 

“ Ask Mr. Lund to receive the gentlemen. He may 
be able to give them the information they want. Do 
not let any one disturb me to-night — no one, you 
understand? And now good-night, Klaus.” 

His subconscious mind still struggling with the 
problem that engrossed him, Clusius fell into an un- 
easy slumber. Scarce an hour later he became aware 
of a timid but persistent knocking at the door. He 
turned over, annoyed, and called out, “ What is it?” 

Klaus entered apologetically. 

“ There’s a gentleman come, sir. I told him you 
didn’t want to see any one else to-night — but he says 
it’s very important.” 

“ Who is it ? ” asked Clusius angrily. 

“Lord Tannemore, sir; he says that he must see 
you.” 

Clusius sat up in bed. 

“ That’s a different matter,” he exclaimed. “ I 
wouldn’t see His Majesty himself to-night, but I am 
always ready to see Lord Tannemore. Hand me 
those clothes, Klaus — then light up the study — 
quickly now.” 

Ten minutes later, Professor Clusius entered his 
study, holding out both hands in eager welcome to the 
man who stood there. The visitor was a tall, fine- 
looking Englishman, with the features and bearing of 
an aristocrat, but with the eyes and brow of a scholar. 
Lie was suffering from a depression of spirit which 
even his well-bred repose could not quite control. 
But his weary eyes lit with a smile of true pleasure 
as he stepped forward and clasped his host’s hands 
firmly in both his own. 

“ Richard — I’m so glad, so glad you have come,” 
exclaimed Clusius heartily. 

Tannemore’s fine face grew grave again as he gazed 


THE MIDNIGHT VISIT 


9 


long and earnestly into the eyes of the great scientist. 

“ Then your friendship for me is as warm as ever ? ’* 
he said. “But why should I ask? — a man like you 
cannot change. I have come now to make a demand 
on your friendship — I am in sore trouble — ” 

“ My dear Richard ! ” replied Clusius eagerly. 
“ Our friendship did not spring from any need we 
might have for each other — but it would not be 
friendship if we did not know that we could depend 
upon one another in time of need. All that I am 
and have are at your service. Tell me your trouble.” 

Clusius pulled an armchair close to the sofa, pushed 
his friend down into it and settled himself in the 
sofa corner. Now as the light fell clear on the hand- 
some face opposite him, the scientist noted its lines 
of deep weariness, and noted also that Tannemore’s 
ease of manner was assumed. Beneath it the soul 
of the man was bearing some heavy burden. 

Clusius laid his hand gently on the other’s arm. 
“ Tell me everything,” he murmured. 

After a moment’s pause Tannemore began to speak, 
calmly and dispassionately. 

“ I should not have come to you at this unseemly 
hour, without announcing my coming, had it not been 
important. I am helpless to save myself — I need 
your aid — it is a matter of life and death — nay, 
more than that. To-day is the fourth of March, is 
it not? Very well, then; on the 6th of August of 
this year, I shall find myself compelled, wherever 
I may be at that time, to send a message to my wife, 
telling her she may never see me alive again, telling 
her whether I can return to England — with the 
honour of my name free from stain.” He paused 
again and sat staring into blankness, his eyes heavy 
with despair. 

“The honour of your name?” murmured Clusius 
surprised. “What could ever touch that — ?” 


10 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Yes, the honour of my name is in danger,” 
whispered Tannemore in a low tone. 

Clusius shook his head and leaned back again in 
his sofa corner. “ You must exaggerate — no one 
who knows you could believe that you would ever do 
anything to cloud the honour of your proud name. 
But whatever the trouble is you may depend upon 
me for help. What is it that you want me to 
do?” 

“ I want you to save my honour — my life, too, 
possibly, but that were the lesser matter. I am almost 
afraid to ask it of you, and yet if any one can do it 
you can, you who can work miracles. Let me tell 
you the story from the beginning that you may under- 
stand it clearly. In the British Museum, second 
story — ” 

“ Mesopotamian antiquities,” cut in the Professor. 

“ Yes. In room 7, second division — ” 

“ District of the Lower Euphrates.” Clusius 
smiled in interested animation. 

Tannemore smiled also. “ I see you are entirely 
at home there. Well, then, in the first row of glass 
cases, case 3, there are — ” 

“ Clay tablets from Birs i Nimrud — ” 

“ The tablets to the left — ” 

“ Cuneiform inscriptions,” supplemented the Pro- 
fessor eagerly. 

Tannemore nodded. “ Exactly. When were you 
there last? ” 

“ Seven years ago.” 

“ Oh, that’s too bad.” 

“ Why?” 

“ If you were there now you would see something 
— something monstrous.” 

“ What?” 

“ Babylonian tablets that — but let me go back 
again in my story. You know those modest-looking. 


THE MIDNIGHT VISIT 


ii 


fascinating bricks in case 3, the tablets which bear on 
their surface the mystery of three millenniums? None 
of the great scholars, not even Rawlinson the peerless, 
can decipher them completely. You know how we 
all, we archaeologists, have been working over these 
stones, striving to wring from them the secret which 
they hide, the secret of a lost language. As you 
know, we have succeeded in part only. One thing we 
do know — ” 

“ That the script is hieratic,” Clusius completed. 

“ Yes, that is the point,” said Tannemore solemnly. 
“ We know that it is a style of cuneiform writing 
considered sacred in Mesopotamia, writing used only 
by priests and scholars. Now over a year ago, while 
I was in the Highlands, news came to me that the 
government had purchased, for an enormous sum, a 
collection of Babylonian antiquities, gold, gems and 
stones. The seller was William Bridgeport, an 
archaeologist of some repute. The price he asked was 
far beyond the cost of all other material ever found 
in the neighbourhood of Birs i Nimrud. He based 
his exorbitant demands on the contention that his 
tablets showed a new style of writing, the demotic 
cuneiform, something never before discovered in that 
region. The government had refused at first to pay 
so much and the hesitation cost dear. For when the 
decision to acquire the collection was finally made, 
Bridgeport’s business representative, a man by the 
name of Redfowles, demanded double the original 
sum asked. 

“ I hurried to London at once on receipt of the 
news and went directly from the station to the 
Museum. The new stones filled my thoughts so com- 
pletely that I found myself, as I ascended the stairs, 
looking into my own sister’s face without recognising 
her. Then at last I stood before the new wonder, 
and — at the very first glance — I felt — I knew 


12 


MENE TEKEL 


beyond a doubt — that they were falsifications — 
that they were a blatent forgery.” 

Tannemore paused, breathless, waiting for his 
friend to speak. But Clusius sat silent, his head rest- 
ing on his hand, and the Englishman took up his story 
again. 

“ For a whole week I tried to persuade myself that 
I had been mistaken. Then I called on our friend 
Kingsby, the new director of the Museum, and asked 
his permission to make an examination of the tablets. 

‘ It has been done most thoroughly already,’ he told 
me. I revealed my doubts and he assured me that our 
leading Assyriologists had studied the bricks carefully 
before the purchase was made. But he had no ob- 
jection to another examination and let me take the 
stones. Rumours of my doubts got about in scientific 
circles, and Redfowles, who had arranged the sale, 
called on me one day. Fie declared that I had insulted 
him and his friend Bridgeport by my expressed opin- 
ion, and challenged me to a duel.” 

“ And you want me to be your second ? ” cried Clu- j 
sius looking up. “ Gladly — gladly — depend on me.” 

“ No, that isn’t it,” replied Tannemore. “ I thank 
you deeply for your offer, my friend, but it is a greater 
service than that which I ask of you. What possible 
good could a duel serve? Should I fall, how could 
I prove the truth of my assertion? By a chance 
quiver of my hand Bridgeport and Redfowles would 
be vindicated, and could laugh all honest archaeologists 
to shame. No; I will not fight them in that absurd 
way — I will expose them ! — that is, I have hoped to 
expose . them.” A bitter smile wreathed his lips. 

“ And in this hope I drew up a formal contract with 
Redfowles on August 6 of the year before last. 
By the terms of the contract I was to have two years 
to prove the truth of my assertion that the inscription 
on the tablets was a forgery. Could I prove it. 


THE MIDNIGHT VISIT 


13 


Redfowles was to make open acknowledgment of the 
fraud, and of course, the money should be restored 
to the Museum. If I could not prove it, I must ac- 
knowledge openly that — that I had made a false 
accusation.” 

Lord Tannemore’s voice was even and steady when 
he reached this point in his story. With scarcely a 
perceptible pause he continued : “ And now, after 

many months of work, I find myself compelled to 
acknowledge that I cannot prove the fraud, although 
I am as convinced as ever that it is a fraud. I know 
those stones are forged. And yet — on the 6th of 
next August I shall be compelled to confess myself 
guilty of public libel, an irrevocable stain on my name 
— a stain that — that I can scarcely outlive unless — ” 
Tannemore breathed deeply. “ Unless you — ” 

“ Unless I can help you to expose the fraud,” 
Clusius said calmly. 

“ That is what I came to ask of you — came at this 
hour. I should not have disturbed you for a lesser 
cause. For the first time in this year and a half of 
research I am worried and anxious — I will confess 
it to you. I left London on an impulse — in the 
press of an uncontrollable desire to see you. I took 
the quickest route and come now directly from the 
station to you — to your house — ” 

“ That was right — you did right to come to me.” 
Clusius caught his friend’s hand. “ It was good of 
you to think of me in your trouble, Richard ; it shows 
me that you do indeed look on me as your friend. 
I will try to deserve your trust. Then I am to prove 
that you are right ? Surely, that’s my work — to dis- 
cover what is hidden from others. I will prove that 
you are right — that is,” his voice grew graver, “if 
it can be proven.” 

“ Yes — if it can be proven.” Tannemore’s smile 
was forced. 


14 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I know it can be proven,” declared Clusius 
brightly. 

Tannemore pressed his friend’s hand warmly, and 
his intelligent eyes softened. “ If it had been a per- 
sonal matter only I should never have troubled you. 
Even though my honour is at stake — the unspotted 
honour of my family name — and my own personal 
reputation as an archaeologist. But the tablets, the 
false tablets ! Is it not unendurable to think that they 
should lie there beside the true ones, equally honoured 
and admired ? — that unless the fraud can be exposed 
they will rest there for future generations to see?” 

“ It must be exposed,” said the Professor calmly. 
“No such falsehood must endure to confuse science 
throughout the years.” 

“ Exactly,” exclaimed Tannemore eagerly. “ Im- 
agine our best men giving years to the effort to un- 
riddle this writing; or — the thing has been done so 
cleverly — imagine letting this untruth be written into 
history.” 

“ It must not be ! It must not be ! ” cried Clusius, 
the fire of the true scholar shining in his eyes. 

The Englishman laid his arm affectionately about 
his famous friend’s shoulders, as he asked with grave 
tenderness, “Then you trust me fully? You believe 
what I say even when I tell you that I cannot find a 
single fact to prove my assertion ? ” 

Clusius answered in the calm, balanced tone of a 
teacher laying down an axiomatic rule. 

“ There are some statements, the truth of which 
must be judged partly by the mental and moral worth 
of him who makes them. There is something in 
intuition even in the field of exact science. I know 
you as a scholar of high repute. I should consider 
any opinion of yours worth a careful investigation.” 

“ Then you will help me — you will ? ” Tanne- 
more’s voice was hoarse with emotion. 


THE MIDNIGHT VISIT 


15 


“ I will help you,” declared Clusius definitely. 

Tannemore rose, pressed his friend’s hand. His 
lips trembled and he did not trust himself to speak. 

Into the tense silence of the room a clock struck 
sharply once. Another answered from the room 
beyond, and still another. The succession of sudden 
sounds roused Tannemore into self-control. He 
laughed and stepped back a pace. 

“ Your clocks insist on being heard,” he said. 

“ The hint is not intended for my friends,” said the 
Professor. “ It is designed for an excuse to rid my- 
self of tiresome, formal visitors. We will send Klaus 
to the hotel for your man and your luggage, Richard. 
You must stop here while you are in Stockholm. I 
understand the gravity of this matter, my friend, but 
I trust you, and I will help you if it is in my power to 
do so.” 

“ It looks now as if only a miracle could save me,” 
replied Tannemore gravely; “but you can work mir- 
acles.” 


CHAPTER III 

PROFESSOR CLUSIUS THROWS OUT A HINT 

The following morning Professor Clusius and Lord 
Tannemore sat together over a late breakfast in the 
scientist’s favourite morning room. It was a light, 
airy apartment with walls and roof of glass. The 
tree-tops in the park outside arched over their heads, 
and through the bare branches the pale sunlight flashed 
a gleam from the near waters of Lake Malar. 

There was a third man present, Hjalmar Lund, the 
Professor’s chief assistant. In spite of the very con- 
siderable attainments which had won him so favoured 
a position, Lund was not yet thirty years of age, and 
was furthermore very good to look upon. When- 
ever his presence was required at the Professor’s 
public lectures and demonstrations, the younger 
women of Stockholm society developed a noticeable 
and commendable desire for scientific knowledge. 
Lund’s personal triumphs were farthest from his 
thoughts this morning, however, as he sat with his 
clear honest blue eyes fixed on the face of the great 
scholar whose devoted disciple he was. 

Clusius pushed back his chair a little from the table. 
“ Now we can begin,” he remarked. 

His two companions sat up eagerly and waited in 
an attitude of respectful attention. Outside the faint 
sunshine grew paler still as a white sea-fog rolled 
slowly in over the lake. Clusius had fallen into deep 
meditation, and the others scarcely dared to breathe in 
fear of disturbing the train of his thoughts. 

Finally he spoke: “Now we can begin,” he re- 
16 


CLUSIUS THROWS OUT A HINT 17 

peated. “ Lund, I want you to take part in our con- 
ference. Lord Tannemore has told you of the matter 
in hand, I supposed 

Lund nodded, and the Professor continued, turning 
to his guest : “ And now Richard, will you be so good 

as to tell us in detail just what you have already done 
to prove the forgery of the inscription? Your first 
impulse, I suppose, was to enlist police assistance? ” 

“ Exactly/' replied Tannemore. “ I engaged Bur- 
ton, the cleverest Secret Service man in England, and 
sent to America for the famous Josiah Kingfleth to 
help him. They were liberally supplied with money 
and a big reward was the further price of success. 
For eight months these two men devoted themselves 
entirely to the case. At the end of that time Burton 
was committed to an asylum, hopelessly insane. 
Kingfleth gave up the case in despair and went home 
to resign his official position, in shame at his defeat." 

“ And then your part of the work began." 

“ Yes. Then I began my scientific investigation." 

“ I am taking for granted that you went over the 
ground thoroughly? In Mesopotamia I mean." 

“ Surely. I realised that I must first of all know 
positively whether or not real tablets bearing such 
script could be found in that neighbourhood. Had I 
found any, it would of course have been one proof 
less in my favour. But it would have diminished the 
value of Bridgeport's collection, a value based on the 
assumption that there were no more such stones in 
existence. This, of course, was his best security 
against exposure. For who could prove that the de- 
motic writing did not exist at the period in question? 
I found no proof anywhere that it did exist — but that 
is no proof of its non-existence. My investigations 
did not give me a single proof that I needed — but 
they strengthened my own belief that these stones 
are forgeries." 


i8 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I agree with you there,” said the Professor. 

“ I left literally no stone unturned in that region,” 
continued Tannemore. “ With thirty good men to 
help me I spent nearly a year of constant labour in 
Assyria, Media and Babylonia.” 

“ You examined the rock walls of Birutun? ” asked 
Clusius. 

Tannemore nodded. “ We studied every mark on 
them up to the very top.” 

“ And the mud of the Euphrates bottoms? There 
have been isolated stones found there.” 

“ I had it dredged for miles.” 

“ Then we must go back to the collection itself. 
You tried out the gold of the ornaments? ” 

“ It is gold of Ophir, used to-day in some places, 
but used in ancient Assyria also.” 

“And the tablets? Their composition?” 

“ They are perfect in weight, thickness and com- 
position. They might be made either of clay from 
Birs i Nimrud, or of Eckbatana earth.” Tannemore 
sighed, then set his teeth hard. 

Lund looked at Clusius, who shook his head and 
relapsed into silence, but not for long this time. 

“ The cuneiform writing,” he began again, “ is cut 
into the surface of the stone. Any metal instrument 
used for such purpose will become blunted and leave 
some of its substance in the stone. Did you look for 
filings in the corners of the letters? Anything that 
would show that the stones had been cut by chisels of 
bessemer steel ? ” 

“ I thought of that also,” replied the Englishman. 
“ I found some minute particles and assayed them. 
They were iron filings, soft pig iron of a kind that 
Cambyses or Darius might have used. No, my dear 
Professor, I have done all that and I can do no more. 
All my labour has resulted only in apparent proof of 
the genuineness of the tablets — and yet — and yet — ” 


CLUSIUS THROWS OUT A HINT 19 

Tannemore’s eyes flashed, his lips curved over his 
set teeth — “ and yet I know positively that they are 
forged.” 

There was deep silence in the room again, stirred 
only by the slight movement made by Clusius as he 
buttoned his coat. The ticking of the watch in his 
pocket had disturbed him. Lund’s blue eyes darkened 
with doubt, but he would not let himself believe that 
there was any problem his revered master could not 
solve. 

Still Clusius sat silent and the others waited. Then 
he began slowly : “ You say you have found no proofs 

of the fraud either among the ruins of Mesopotamia 
or in the tablets themselves? What shall we do next 
then? I hope you will both agree with me when I 
suggest that we take the straightest, simplest road to 
prove the forgery. We will look on at the writing 
of the demotic script in Assyria — over five thousand 
years ago. Pardon the apparent anachronism. We 
will see how the demotic script was written then, and 
we will compare it with the inscription on Bridgeport’s 
stones.” 

Tannemore turned pale. He remembered that De- 
tective Burton’s keen mind had become unhinged over 
this problem, and his own brain turned dizzy for a 
moment. But Hjalmar Lund gazed at his master with 
frank and complete confidence. 

Before either of the men could speak, Klaus entered 
the room to announce that the Professor’s carriage 
was waiting. He had brought his master’s hat and 
coat with him. 

Tannemore stifled a feeling of disappointment as 
Clusius calmly arose, remarked that he could not very 
well give up this last lecture, nodded to his friends and 
left the room. 

The others sat as he had left them for some minutes. 
Finally the Englishman spoke, more uncertain than 


20 


MENE TEHEE 


was his wont. “ Mr. Lund, you heard the Professor’s 
last words, did you not? ” 

“ Certainly, Lord Tannemore.” 

“ And did you — understand them? ” 

“ Why, yes.” 

“ Understand them entirely, I mean — in their full- 
est significance — ? ” 

“ Why, yes — at least I think so.” 

“ Then — then perhaps you will be kind enough to 
repeat them to me. I fancy I did not hear them quite 
correctly.” 

“ Surely,” answered Lund brightly. “ I shall be 
very glad to repeat the Master’s words to you. He 
said : ‘ We will look on at the writing of the demotic 

script in Assyria, over five thousand years ago.’ ” 

“ Then he truly said it ? ” 

“ Those were his exact words.” 

“ Well — what — what do you make of them ? ” 
Lund smiled a cheery and most becoming smile. 
“ Why — ■ we will look on ’ — future tense.” 

“ Yes, first person plural.” 

“ And * at the writing of the demotic script ’ — ” 

“ Present tense,” finished Tannemore. 

“Well, then — your lordship heard quite correctly.” 
“ Yes, yes — the grammatic sense, of course — but 
I didn’t understand their meaning, did you ? ” 

Lund laughed openly. “No more than you did. 
But I’m not troubling my head as to the why and 
wherefore of it. If Professor Clusius says he will 
do a thing, he does it, no matter how impossible it may 
sound to others. He sees more than others — and his 
dreams come true. We may not understand his 
words, Lord Tannemore, but they were carefully 
chosen. He made a promise to us and he has never 
yet failed to fulfil a promise.” 

About an hour later Lund and Lord Tannemore en- 


CLUSIUS THROWS OUT A HINT 


21 


tered the hall of the University where Professor 
Clusius was lecturing to crowded benches. Beside the 
student hearers, his audience, as always, comprised 
diplomats, senators, white-haired scholars and high 
dignitaries of the Court and the city. His friends 
came just in time to hear the Professor say: “Our 
talk of to-day closes the present subject. My next 
lecture will be held four months later, for I have just 
been granted leave of absence for that length of time 
to undertake an important experiment. If there is 
any further point concerning our subject of to-day 
that any of you would like explained more in detail, 
I beg that you will come to me before next Wednes- 
day. I shall be leaving town on Thursday.” 

The Minister of Public Education rose from his seat 
on one of the foremost benches. 

“ Would it be possible, revered Professor,” he asked, 
“ to give us some little hint as to the nature of your 
planned experiments? I ask this not in my minis- 
terial capacity, but merely as one of your pupils. We 
all wish to follow you in thought, however humbly.” 

“Surely,” answered Clusius; “I will gladly say a 
few words which may give you an idea of the lines 
along which I am intending to work. Suppose some 
historian, some writer of family chronicles, some 
learned monk, let us say, several centuries ago, had 
recorded his own knowledge and experience in words 
painted in colour on parchment. A single drop of 
water would obliterate a word forever — a spilt glass 
of wine would throw an entire family into oblivion. 
From sunlight alone, throughout the changing years, 
many a monument of monkish industry has faded into 
illegibility. And yet how interesting it would be, 
could we read the story on many a faded page in these 
old tomes. Now listen carefully, gentlemen. The 
pigments and the ink used for these old writings have 
not thrown their impression of light and shade only 


22 


MENE TEKEL 


on the retina of the eyes bent to read them. They 
have left also an impress of light and shadow on the 
paper upon which they were formed. For the por- 
tions of the pages covered by the writing could not 
take in the same quantity of light as did the vacant 
spaces. If we may call the picture thrown on our 
eyes by a written letter its positive impression — then 
we may say, by contrast, that the impress left on the 
covered or darkened portion of the paper is its nega- 
tive picture or impression. Now even in a case in 
which all the writing had faded out of sight, do we 
not know that this negative impression must still be 
there? The problem, therefore, is to force the paper 
to give up the secret of light and shaded spaces. If 
we could do this then we could read lost writing, then 
we could cause the invisible to become visible again — 
then we could see shapes and shadows of men a thou- 
sand years dead — 

“ I am trying to make this possible/’ continued the 
Professor after a slight pause in which he replaced 
a bottle he had upset by a gesture. “ With what re- 
sult I will tell you in my next lecture. If I succeed 
— then we may be able to read the verse scribbled in 
charcoal on the base of the Memnom column four 
thousand years ago by some lovelorn Egyptian. If 
I do not succeed, then another will — other men will 
work and plan until the one shall come who will show 
us the shadow of Praxiteles on the Venus of Milo, 
the shadow thrown by the artist as he worked. And 
this silhouette of a genius of a past age will mean 
more for science even than his immortal work has 
meant for art. I shall think of you while in Asia, 
gentlemen. And our next courses will begin a month 
later than usual. I wish you good day.” 


CHAPTER IV 


THE PROBLEM AND THE PREPARATION 

The early dusk was gathering under growing clouds 
as Klaus Groth, Professor Chisms’ faithful servant, 
moved about the dining-room laying the table for din- 
ner. Although Klaus was engaged nominally for 
the personal service of the Professor, he invariably 
refused to leave the preparations for a formal meal 
to any one else. Klaus was so appreciative of the hon- 
our of his position of confidential valet to a famous 
scholar that he spent much of his scanty leisure in 
the attempt to make himself worthy of it. He puz- 
zled over Greek and Latin verbs, and sat up nights 
struggling to master the elements of the physical sci- 
ences. 

As he laid the table now, using the handsome sil- 
ver and fine porcelain service presented to the Pro- 
fessor by an Eastern potentate, Klaus murmured 
snatches of Latin vocabulary, pausing to fit the verb- 
endings correctly. When all was done he looked at 
his handiwork critically and remarked : “ Finis coro- 

nal opus , or else ‘ opus fine coronatur / either will do.” 
Then he went into the dining-room to announce that 
dinner was ready. Tannemore and Lund took their 
places at table and waited some time for Clusius. 
Finally Lund rang for Klaus and asked if the Pro- 
fessor were not coming for dinner. 

“ I couldn’t say, sir. Professor Clusius went di- 
rectly to his study when he came home from the Uni- 
versity. I heard him walking about and talking to 
himself. Then he took his hat and cane and went 
23 


24 


MENE TEKEL 


out into the garden. I saw him drawing figures and 
letters on the garden path.” 

“ That’s his way,” Lund explained to Tannemore. 
“ When his study grows too small for the pressure of 
his thoughts he goes out into the garden and writes 
his calculations and figures all over the paths. Let’s 
come and see what he’s done now. Maybe we can 
find him there.” 

They did not find the Professor, but they found 
yards and yards of figuring drawn clearly in the 
smooth sands of the garden paths. They could find 
no key to decipher it, so stepping carefully, they re- 
turned to the house just as the man they sought 
emerged from his study door. The Professor was in 
excellent spirits. 

“ The problem grows more and more interesting,” 
he called out to his friends as he saw them approach- 
ing. “ I believe the solution is a possible thing — but 
it means hard work. My dear Lund, I have made 
some — some notes outside there — notes that hold 
the key to success. It was a sort of intuition. Might 
I ask you to copy the figures to-morrow ? ” 

Tannemore was dazed. He knew his friend’s 
genius, but even^then he was astonished. It was only 
last night that he had arrived with his request for aid. 
In the morning he had heard a hint of a scientific prob- 
lem, the importance of which appeared more clearly 
in the lecture-hall. Now he stood bewildered as he 
heard Clusius declare that the key to the success of an 
apparently impossible undertaking was already found. 

All three men were so absorbed in the thought of 
what lay before them, that they talked little during 
dinner. When the meal was ended and they had set- 
tled down to coffee and cigars in a cosy smoking den, 
Clusius began. 

“ This will be the proper time, I think, to formu- 


PROBLEM AND PREPARATION 


25 


late our plans for action, to decide finally what we 
are to do. For whatever I do, wherever I go, I shall 
depend upon both of you to accompany me, to aid 
me. Now let us survey the field. The facts are — ” 

“ That we know three sorts of cuneiform writing, 
one of which is considered doubt ful,” said Tannemore. 

“ And furthermore — ” 

“ And furthermore — that this newly-discovered 
fourth sort is not genuine.” 

“ Exactly. It is our task to show whether this new 
writing was ever used anywhere at any time. If we 
can prove that it was not, then Bridgeport and Red- 
fowles are swindlers and forgers — or at least Bridge- 
port is — for Redfowles is no archaeologist and may 
have been deceived himself.” 

“ Bridgeport asserts that his collection comes from 
Birs i Nimrud.” 

“ Then we may confine our investigation to the 
ruins of Asia’s ancient civilisation,” said Clusius. 
“ And if we find any traces of the new script there — ” 

“ Then I have been guilty of gross libel,” remarked 
Tannemore, deadly calm. 

Clusius held out his hand to his friend. “ Forgive 
me, Richard, I had to give expression to that possi- 
bility simply to make our argument complete. But to 
continue. I suggest that we visit the Valley of the 
Euphrates, equipped as no expedition was ever 
equipped before. Our aim is to discover, by means 
of pictures seen by no living eye for thousands of 
years, how the elder Babylonians and Assyrians lived, 
how they ate and drank, how they moved about, and 
— how they wrote. We shall be living in a world 
of silent shadows; we shall force long- vanished sun- 
light to mirror again for us the forms and visions 
on which it shone in grey antiquity. Do you follow 


26 


MENE TEKEE 


The others hung on his words entranced. Outside 
heavy clouds gathered and scattered a fine rain drum- 
ming against the window panes. 

“ Science and research lead us back through his- 
tory to the days of the Saga, before history was, but 
still telling us of human beings of highly developed 
mentality. Back through the various forms of writ- 
ten language, through its first letterings, through its 
crude picture-forms, back to the time when spoken 
language only took the thought from mouth to mouth 
— where can we find the light to guide us further 
than this, back into the Unknown? Only within our- 
selves. We must find it in our own power to under- 
stand even where we do not see clearly; we must find 
it in our trained intuition which can form combina- 
tions, and which from facts known and understood 
can grasp the Unknown. This is how I want you to 
follow my thoughts to-night. 

“ We know the first picture-writing, but we do not 
know, in actuality, what went before that. The rock 
walls of Busutum stand silent, guarding their secret. 
We do not know what mental processes brought forth 
the hieroglyphs as part of a people’s development. 
But we know that a people’s development moves 
slowly and logically. And yet how few seem to real- 
ise that there must be a long history of development 
at the back of the first known cuneiform writings. 
We know of the despotism of Semiramis and Cyrus, 
but we do not know what peoples and what sort of 
civilisation their conquering tyranny may have de- 
stroyed. We do not know — and the walls of Pasar- 
gada stand silent. Who was in Assyria before Assur? 
Before the first mighty ones of whom we have rec- 
ords? Questions ! Idle questions — and the walls of 
Babylon stand silent. But they will stand silent no 
longer when we come to reveal their secrets.” 

Clusius paused, his eyes alight. The bare branches 


PROBLEM AND PREPARATION 


27 


of the trees beat madly on the window pane and 
added to the turmoil of rain and hail outside. But 
none of the men heard it. Tannemore and Lund 
bent forward, their eyes on Clusius. He looked out 
and beyond them into a mysterious world they could 
not see. Finally he spoke again : 

“ And there is a greater despot even than these 
early conquerors — it is Time, the tyrant of us all. 
In Mesopotamia many a valuable record is blurred 
or faded altogether under the ravages of time — in 
Mesopotamia, the cradle of ancient culture. Back in 
the dimness of Days the people there were intelligent 
and prosperous. They carved their hieroglyphs in 
stones, and more than that — here our intuition may 
safely lead us — they painted them in colours.” 

Lund sprang from his chair, his handsome face 
flushed, his eyes sparkling. “ In colours — colours 
which have faded under the sunlight of years.” 

“ That is my meaning,” said the Professor. 

“ And then we can imagine how the Persians and 
the Syrians copied out this colour-writing on stone,” 
exclaimed Tannemore quickly. 

“ And furthermore,” continued Clusius, “ we can 
answer the question of the genuineness or the falsity 
of Bridgeport's tablets when we see the development 
of hieroglyphic writing with our own eyes — when 
we watch men writing in the Mesopotamia of five 
thousand years ago.” 

Tannemore and Lund looked at each other in help- 
less bewilderment. Again they had come to the point 
where they could not follow. 

“ When we watch — ” repeated Lund mechanically. 

— “ men writing in the Mesopotamia of five thou- 
sand years ago,” Tannemore finished the sentence in 
the same groping uncertainty. 

“ And we shall watch it,” continued Clusius, un- 
heeding their bewilderment, “ for I feel that I shall 


2 8 


MENE TEKEL 


succeed in the task of which I spoke in my lecture 
this morning. The problem has been engrossing me 
for some time. When you came to me last night, 
Richard, it flashed over me that to do this thing would 
be the only means of helping you — your need of me 
has given the impetus to carry me on to the actual 
experiment — the impetus needed to awaken my mind 
to its best activities. It would be a great thing to do 
— it might easily be the culmination of my career — 
but it would mean still more to me if it should prove 
the means of helping you.” 

Klaus had been standing near the door for some 
time, waiting for a chance to speak. In the pause 
that followed the Professor’s words, he came forward 
and asked if he might close the window, as the rain 
was coming in heavily and the floor was covered with 
water. 

The three men looked down and laughed. They 
were sitting with their feet in nearly half an inch of 
water and not one of them had noticed it. 

“ It’s a bad habit of mine always to have a window 
open wherever I am,” said Clusius apologetically. 

Lund sprang up a second time and ran to the win- 
dow. The carefully tended garden was strewn with 
broken branches and the sanded paths were roaring 
torrents of mud. “ The figurings — the calculations ! ” 
he exclaimed in horror. “ They’re all gone — they’re 
lost — totally lost ! ” 

Clusius started and groaned. “ My notes — my 
valuable notes — they’re lost — irretrievably lost!” 

He repeated the words half aloud. Then, as he 
saw the ghastly pallour of Tannemore’s face he has- 
tened to add : “ And yet — perhaps not — perhaps 

not altogether lost.” 

Lund vented his anger on Klaus. “ Why didn’t 
you warn us of the coming storm ? ” 

“ I’m so sorry, sir,” replied Klaus humbly, “ but 


PROBLEM AND PREPARATION 


29 

I thought you saw it coming — it threatened for so 
long.” 

“ Oh, you thought we saw it, did you? We had 
something more important to think of.” 

Klaus looked from one to the other, at a loss to 
understand their excitement. 

“ This is a most unfortunate happening,” said 
Clusius. 

“ It is a catastrophe — for me at least,” replied 
Tannemore, his eyes fixed on the wet floor. 

Klaus, still bewildered, ventured a timid hope that 
his lordship’s shoes were not greatly damaged. No 
one heard him except Lund, who smiled in the midst 
of his emotion. 

“ Those notes,” began the Professor again, “ were 
of the greatest possible value for our undertaking. 
They were the result of a train of reasoning which I 
may never be able to reach again with the same defi- 
niteness. As you know, Richard, there are moments 
of intuition even in science. The mind flies over un- 
essentials and welds together the links of the chain. 
Something is accomplished in a few moments which 
ordinarily might take months to achieve.” 

Lund sighed deeply and Clusius nodded to him. 
“I know what you are thinking now, Hjalmar,” he 
said, with the ghost of a smile. “ You have often 
begged me to let some one come with me in my walks, 
some one who could copy my calculations at once. I 
regret now that I did not follow your advice. For 
I do not see any possible chance of reclaiming a sin- 
gle figure or letter under those torrents in the garden 
paths.” 

“ Please,, sir,” began Klaus timidly. The three 
turned to him in surprise. “ Please, sir, were you 
talking about the figures you made in the paths be- 
fore dinner? Because I copied them all in my book. 
I hope you don't mind my doing it, sir. I wanted 


30 


MENE TEKEL 


to study them this evening. I had just finished the 
last letter when the rain came. Maybe my book will 
be of use to you.” 

Lund seized one of the valet’s hands, and Tanne- 
more the other, shaking them violently, a proceeding 
which added greatly to the worthy fellow’s amaze- 
ment. 

“ Klaus, you are a jewel,” exclaimed the Professor, 
“ and if you are really so fond of study I will reserve 
a good place for you for all of my lectures.” 

“ Oh, sir,” stammered Klaus joyfully, red to his 
ears. He fumbled in his pockets and finally produced 
a small blue notebook which he handed to his master. 

Lund turned on the full blaze of the electric lights 
and the wet floor gave back the glow with double radi- 
ance. The men crowded to the table while Clusius 
turned the pages of the little book. 

“ It’s all here — every single line. Klaus, I don’t 
know how to thank you — not a figure missing — it’s 
all here.” And now he himself shook his embarrassed 
valet’s hand as he continued, “ W e are all greatly in 
your debt. As partial payment for what you have 
done I will open a credit account for you in a good 
bookshop. You shall have all the books you need 
for your studies. And now, friends — victory is 
ours! All Mesopotamia will lie before us like a mir- 
ror, a mirror in which we can awaken the shadows of 
the Past. The ages that have gone will pass in re- 
view before us — leading us back from to-day into 
the Unknown and Unrecorded. We will — but the 
rest is only a hope as yet, I dare not think of it as 
already achieved.” His eyes looked out through the 
window, lingering thoughtfully on the clustering 
branches of a tall linden tree which stood there. The 
others looked at him as men might gaze at one more 
than human. 

When they had gone into drier quarters in the 


PROBLEM AND PREPARATION 


3i 

study, the more practical details of the expedition were 
discussed. 

“ We start Tuesday,” said Clusius. “ I can be ready 
by then. How about you, Richard? We must lose 
no time, for we have much to do before the 6th of 
August.” 

“ Yes, we must find the needed proofs by the 6th 
of August, if — ” murmured Lund. 

“If I am to live after that day.” Tannemore’s 
voice was deep but calm. Turning to his friend he 
continued : “ I am ready to start any moment. I 
will wire to London for the guns and other equipment 
which we need. They will be sent on at once and we 
can pick them up in Damascus. You must let me 
take charge of the prosaic details of the expedition. 
I can do nothing else this time. Your genius is lead- 
ing you to heights where I cannot follow.” 

“ Oh, no, indeed,” interrupted Clusius. But Tanne- 
more shook his head. “ I am only your humble cou- 
rier. Weapon in hand I will be ready to guard your 
life amid the dangers of the desert. It is little I can 
do — for you — you who are working to save my 
life.” 

“What is the final goal of our journey?*’ asked 
Lund. 

“ I cannot say definitely yet,” replied Clusius. 
“ We will cross the Continent from Stralsund to 
Trieste ; there we take the steamer for Beyrout. From 
there we go due east, out into the Syrian desert to 
find the oldest ruins. Chance — or Fate — must 
guide us then.” 

“ And will you take any one else with you from 
here ? ” asked Lord Tannemore. 

“No one but you two. This journey will have its 
dangers. I could ask no one to accompany us with- 
out first telling him something of our plans. And 
the less that is known of them the better.” 


32 


MENE TEKEL 


“Not even Klaus? He is discretion itself,” ven- 
tured Lund. 

“ Yes, I know that,” replied Clusius. “ And he 
alone, at home here, shall know where we are that he 
may forward our mail to us from time to time.” 

“ But why can’t he go with us? We may need his 
tried fidelity,” insisted Tannemore. 

“ He is the most faithful fellow in the world,” 
smiled Clusius, “ but he hasn’t a scrap of physical cour- 
age. He would be very unhappy and uncomfortable, 
and he might be decidedly in the way. What are you 
laughing at now, Hjalmar? ” 

“ I was thinking of what would happen if the de- 
tails of our plan got to the newspapers. Can’t you 
see the Mayor of Bey rout and the school teachers 
coming out to the ship to meet us? In Bagdad it 
would be the Constabulary or the Militia, and in Nine- 
veh I know we should have to run the gauntlet of a 
delegation of white-clad maidens.” 

“ All of which would be a great nuisance,” said the 
Professor with a laugh. “ Yes, we must be alone 
and free to come and go as we like. Any strangers 
joining us might interfere seriously with the success 
of our experiments.” 

“ Hadn’t we better travel incognito ? ” suggested 
Tannemore. 

“Under other names? How jolly!” cried Lund 
joyfully. 

“ A good idea,” said Clusius. “ I will see to our 
passports under any names we may assume.” 

“ And I’ll make up the names,” said Lund. “ While 
I was still in school I made up the names of a long 
cast of characters for a play I intended to write. It 
took me many happy hours to do it.” 

“What happened to the play?” asked Tannemore. 

“Oh, the play? I forgot to write it.” 


PROBLEM AND PREPARATION 33 

Clusius leaned forward suddenly and touched a bell 
on his desk. Klaus hastened in. 

“ You asked me something about shutting the win- 
dow in the smoking-room a little while back, did you 
not ? ” said Clusius. “ I don’t remember having an- 
swered you. Yes, you’d better close the window.” 

Klaus bowed. “ I closed it some time ago, sir,” 
he said solemnly. Then he murmured to himself, 
“ Feci — or, factum est — or else iam clausum est . 
Any one will do.” 


CHAPTER V 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 

The steamer Pandora of the Austrian Lloyd left 
Trieste on the morning of March io on her regu- 
lar run to Bey rout. On the morning of the second 
day out, Lord Tannemore and Hjalmar Lund met in 
a sunny corner of the deck shortly after seven o’clock. 

“Where’s the Professor?” asked Lund in surprise, 
for he knew the famous man’s love for early hours. 

“ He is still in his cabin,” answered Tannemore. 
“ At his table, where he has been working all night. 
I don’t think he went to bed at all. I looked in early 
this morning, but he asked to be left alone until ten 
o’clock. Then he wants us to join him to make the 
first practical trials of his new discovery.” 

“Then — then he has been successful?” Lund’s 
cheeks flushed and his eyes lit up. 

“ I hope so,” replied Tannemore gravely. “ But 
you know him better than I. What do you think ? ” 
“ I am sure he has succeeded, and I’m impatient to 
hear the news. He didn’t need us for the prepara- 
tions ? ” Lund continued almost with a sigh. 

“No; it’s all his work. We have done nothing. 
When I think what it means to me — I feel so use- 
less — so ignorant beside his genius. Has he given 
you any hint of the nature of his experiment? ” 

“ Not the slightest,” replied Lund as they made their 
way down the companionway to the saloon. “ But he 
promised to explain it all before we land.” 

The three men had taken passage on the Pandora 
under assumed names, the Professor calling himself 
34 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


35 


Mr. Digby, Tannemore and Lund booked respectively 
as Lord Lomond and Mr. Swendborg. The Professor 
had kept to his cabin almost exclusively since the ves- 
sel started, but the other two had mingled with the 
passengers with more or less reserve, at least on Tanne- 
more’s part, though there seemed to be no danger of 
their incognito being discovered. 

After breakfast the two younger men went up on 
deck again, Tannemore pacing vigorously up and 
down, while Lund lingered near the companionway, 
apparently aimless but with an eye on the door to 
the cabins below. When half an hour later an ex- 
tremely pretty girl in a light summer gown appeared 
in the doorway, Lund gave himself the air of having 
casually strolled past, and advanced to meet the lady 
with pleased surprise. 

Before the Pandora had been many hours out of 
port, Hjalmar Lund, in common with other male pas- 
sengers, had discovered that Miss Erna Lengdale, 
from Copenhagen, was by far the prettiest girl on 
board. The young scientist had acted on the discov- 
ery at once and already had apparently distanced his 
competitors in the young lady’s favour. 

Now they met with the easy air of good friends. 
And it was with very human satisfaction that Lund 
observed the envious glances of several other men as 
he strolled down the deck beside Miss Lengdale. 
Professor Clusius’ assistant enjoyed a fair measure of 
fame in learned circles for his very respectable ac- 
quirements. But at this moment Professor Clusius’ 
assistant was nothing more than a young man con- 
scious of the soft curve of the fair cheek beside him 
and the lights and shadows of the golden hair above 
it, hair of that shimmering pale gold that ripens only 
under Northern skies. When Erna turned her clear 
amber eyes to his — golden eyes he termed them — 
it took all Hjalmar Lund’s control to appear suffi- 


MENE TEKEL 


36 

ciently interested in the past history of the coast 
and the historic waters through which they were pass- 
ing. 

Erna Lengdale was not averse to the attentions of 
so attractive a young man, but she was freshly come 
from her studies and this was her first journey so 
far from home. She was eager for more and more 
knowledge and her discovery of the fact that Lund 
knew a great deal of the history of this part of the 
world was, as yet, his chief claim to favour in her 
eyes. 

“ Isn’t it too bad that we passed the Albanian coast 
by night ? ” she exclaimed as they leaned against the 
rail and looked out over the sunlit waters. “ Each 
bit we pass is so full of interest, I hate to miss any 
of it.” 

“ I noticed your love for history and the lore of 
past days, in our talks yesterday,” Lund replied, con- 
scious of a feeling of jealousy towards all ancient 
days. “ And I must confess my surprise and admira- 
tion at your really remarkable knowledge.” 

Erna blushed prettily. But Lund realised that the 
same praise from the mouth of an aged professor 
would have had exactly the same effect in sending the 
becoming colour to her cheeks. 

“ I had such splendid teachers,” she replied with 
charming bashfulness. “ And I have been keeping up 
my studies since I left school. I never can under- 
stand why girls lose all interest in those things the mo- 
ment they get home. I love history, but archaeology 
and even the physical sciences are fascinating to me. 
Of course I know so little about them. But some day 
I’m going to study more. I envy the men who can 
devote their lives to science and do such great things. 
And it makes me proud to be a Scandinavian when I 
read of the wonderful achievements of our greatest 
man of the North, Professor Clusius.” 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


37 


Lund started and smiled happily. “ Professor 
Clusius," he repeated. “ Then you also are an ad- 
mirer of his? " 

“ Who isn't, that has ever heard of him? " 

“ Oh — then you've only heard of him? " 

“Yes — I never had the good fortune to see him 
even — much less make his acquaintance. I made two 
lengthy visits to an aunt who is living in Stockholm 
in the hope of seeing the great man somewhere — but 
I had no luck." 

“You were in Stockholm? Oh, when?” 

“ In July and August of the last two years." 

“ Too bad — that’s the season we — " 

“ We?” asked the girl in quick surprise. 

“ The people who live in Stockholm," Lund an- 
swered hastily, “ are generally away in the summer. 
As far as I know, Professor Clusius usually spends the 
summer months in his country home near Dront- 
heim." 

“ Oh, if I’d known that I should have gone up 
there too." 

“ Then you're so anxious to make his acquaint- 
ance ? " 

“ He's the most interesting man in the world to 
me." 

Lund sighed deeply and looked out over the water. 
Miss Lengdale spoke again. “ Do you know him, 
Mr. Swendborg?” 

“ Oh, yes," he replied ; “ I see him occasionally." 

“Oh, do tell me about him!" The amber eyes 
gazed into his with eager interest. “ What is he 
like? One hears only about his work and so little 
about his personality, he's almost like some figure in 
a saga. I don’t even know what he looks like." 

Lund laughed. “What do you expect? The fa- 
mous scientist is no longer young, Miss Lengdale, and 
never was particularly handsome." 


3 » 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I wasn’t thinking of that,” said Erna, smiling. 
“ But he must look dignified and noble, and of course 
— keenly intelligent. He must have a wonderful 
face.” 

“ Yes, he has,” answered Lund. “ He is noble and 
dignified and so kind and sympathetic too, and when 
he speaks one cannot help listening. For one knows 
that what he has to say is important, even — even if 
you don’t always understand it. Oh, he is wonder- 
ful — wonderful ! ” 

“ There, you see, you admire him just as much as 
I do. Oh, I’m so glad ! ” She held out her hand im- 
pulsively. Lund gazed at it a moment enraptured, 
then raised it to his lips. Erna drew it back in blush- 
ing embarrassment and asked : “ Where are we 

now? ” 

“We ought to be just over the deepest measured 
spot of the Adriatic; nearly a mile down to the bot- 
tom it is, here,” answered Lund promptly. 

“Oh, how interesting! But to return to Professor 
Clusius. You must talk to me more about him. My 
aunt never saw him either. But a friend of hers met 
the Professor’s assistant once, Mr. Hjalmar Lund. 
He’s getting to be a celebrity too in scientific circles, 
and yet my aunt’s friend says he is quite a young man. 
Did you ever see him ? ” 

Lund stooped to pick up his handkerchief, which 
had fallen to the deck. “ Oh, yes, I see him more 
often than I do the Professor,” he answered, trying 
to control his amusement. “ Now that bit of land 
over there, shining through the morning mist, is Du- 
razzo, the Dyrrhachium of antiquity.” 

But Erna refused to be diverted from the subject 
that was interesting her most at the moment. “ You 
see Professor Clusius has been famous for so long,” 
she persisted, “ that it is hard to realise he is still liv- 
ing and just like other people. But a younger man, 


.WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


39 


just beginning to make a name for himself, would 
seem more human, not quite so far away, as it 
were.” 

“ I hope so,” said Lund, involuntarily moving 
nearer. 

“ I should so love to know a scientist like that. I 
should be so proud to be his friend,” Erna went on, 
gazing dreamily out over the water. 

“ Do you really mean it ? — Look at that shore now. 
Durazzo is quite hidden in the mist.” 

“ What does Mr. Lund look like?” asked Erna, 
overhearing his last remark. 

The young scholar began to enjoy the situation. 
“ Oh — I’m awkward at description,” he replied in a 
casual tone. “ But I should say he was about my size 
and general appearance.” 

Erna turned her eyes back to him now. “ Yes, I 
remember, my aunt’s friend said he was very good- 
looking,” she said, then caught herself up and blushed 
violently. Her embarrassment was exceedingly be- 
coming, but evidently so painful to her that Lund 
turned his head away considerately, feeling glad of the 
chance to hide the answering flush on his own cheek 
and the sparkle in his eyes. 

“ Dyrrhachium is a place which would surely inter- 
est you,” he began, in a matter-of-fact tone. “ It has 
a great past and little hope for the future.” 

“ Oh, do tell me something about it,” said Erna 
quickly. “ Where did you say it was ? ” 

“ There. See now — when the wind parts the veil 
of mist you can catch a glimpse of the ruined city.” 

“ Yes, yes, I can see houses — tell me all about it.” 

Lund launched into a description of the past glories 
of the ancient town. Erna listened with great atten- 
tion, finding it convenient to keep her eyes fixed on the 
distant coast-line. 

“ How interesting! ” she breathed when he had fin- 


40 MENE TEKEL 

ished. “ But, oh, just look, what has happened to my 
fan? ” 

She held the delicately-tinted satin fan up for in- 
spection. A great dark blotch marred its surface. 
“ It’s spoiled, quite spoiled ! ” she complained, “ and 
I was so fond of it. It’s very old, a family heir- 
loom, belonging to my grandmother and then to my 
aunt, who gave it to me. Of course it isn’t the sort 
of thing to use every day, but I found I’d forgotten 
to bring any other, so I have to use this until we 
land. The sunlight is so sharp down here. I had 
the fan out yesterday for the first time in ever so long. 
This must have happened yesterday. I could just cry 
about it.” 

“ Please don’t,” cut in Lund eagerly. “ I think we 
can make it right.” 

“ Oh, really ? How ? It ought to be cleaned right 
away and how can it be cleaned on board here? ” 

“ My specialty is chemistry, as I think I told you,” 
replied Lund. “ If you will let me have the fan for 
a few hours, I’ll try my hand at cleaning it.” 

“ Oh, that will be awfully good of you,” exclaimed 
Erna, half consoled already. “ I know I must have 
got that spot in the engine room. Father took me 
down there yesterday.” 

“ If it’s machine oil it’s all the easier to get out. 
Will you let me try?” 

"Indeed I will, Mr. Swendborg; it’s awfully nice 
of you to take the trouble.” 

“ It’s a very little thing to do for you,” replied 
Lund. Then fearing he had said too much, he bowed 
a formal farewell and promised to return the fan in 
an hour or two. 

At the entrance to the companionway he met Lord 
Tannemore in conversation with a middle-aged man, 
whom he introduced as Mr. Smithson. They had 
been talking about phosphorus in the water and elec- 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


4i 


trical phenomena at sea. That is, Mr. Smithson had 
been talking and Tannemore had been listening with- 
out great interest. Just as Lund came up Mr. Smith- 
son was saying: 

“ I don’t know very much about these things my- 
self, not more than any other amateur with a merely 
platonic interest in science. But I remember a won- 
derful lecture I heard in Upsala once, delivered by 
the famous Professor Clusius. I have relatives up 
in that part of the country, my mother came from 
there. And it was on a visit to her family that I 
went to hear the famous man. You are a Norwegian, 
I believe, Mr. Swendborg? Then, of course, you 
must know this great scholar.” 

“ Why — why — we Norwegians are not particu- 
larly enthusiastic over anything that comes out of 
Sweden, Mr. Smithson. But I must ask you to ex- 
cuse me now, I have something to attend to.” Lund 
bowed and turned down the stairs. 

“And you, Lord Lomond? You are an experi- 
enced traveler, I perceive. Do you chance to know 
Professor Clusius?” asked Smithson. 

Tannemore shrugged his shoulders. “ I travel 
mainly because I’m fond of hunting,” he answered. 
“ I’m on my way to the East now in the hope of 
bagging a tiger or two. Your interest in science is 
greater than mine. Good morning.” Tannemore 
raised his hand with a gesture of unmistakable dis- 
missal and walked on down the deck. 

The other man looked after him. “ Arrogant aris- 
tocrat,” he thought. “ Seems to be merely a globe- 
trotting sportsman. And as for the other, the young 
Norwegian, he has eyes for nothing but the pretty 
Danish girl. They’re not likely to have ever seen the 
Professor. They’re not dangerous. Now I’ll have a 
look at some of the others before I make my next re- 
port.” 


42 


MENE TEKEE 


Lund, locked in his cabin, put in a half hour’s care- 
ful work over the fan. Satisfied that his efforts were 
successful, he still held the dainty fabric in his hand, 
conscious of a feeling of pleasure in its proximity. 
Suddenly there was a tap on the door and he started 
up, blushing like a schoolboy. 

“Good gracious, is it past ten o’clock?” he ex- 
claimed, opening the door hastily. “ Am I late ? ” 

“ No, it lacks ten minutes to ten yet,” answered 
Tannemore, who stood outside. 

“ Then I’ve time to run up on deck ? I have some- 
thing here belonging to Miss Lengdale. I ought to 
return it to her.” 

“ Better wait till later. You might be delayed 
coming back. We must be prompt.” 

They walked slowly down the corridor to Professor 
Clusius’ door, a few yards away. They waited there 
until the door opened and Clusius stood on the thresh- 
old, looking pale and fatigued but smiling brightly. 

“ I’m glad you’re here already,” he said. “ Won’t 
you come in ? ” 

They passed into the outer cabin, which Clusius 
used as a study. Beyond it was the open door to his 
sleeping quarters. The bed had not been occupied. 
Clusius made room for his friends on the sofa and 
began : 

“ I think I have everything ready for the first ex- 
periment. You will need only a few words of ex- 
planation to prepare you for what you are to see. 
This trial will be merely the first part of our prob- 
lem, the simplest part of it. As I have told you al- 
ready, I shall force blank surfaces to show again the 
lights and shadows they have received and retained 
through so many years. In this first experiment the 
light will have no colour, merely varying degrees of 
shadow. 

“ But as every surface is exposed to a constantly 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


43 


changing impression of light and darkness (if only 
in the natural change from night to day) and as these 
lights and shadows will move before us with incred- 
ible quickness, giving in less than an hour the im- 
pressions of a year or even a decade — if we look at 
the surface itself we shall see nothing but a glim- 
mering of grey, with uncertain outlines. To obviate 
this difficulty I shall take photographs of the im- 
pression, photographs made by an invention of my 
own. In the experiments I hope to make there among 
the ruins, my arrangements will be so perfected that 
the photographs will be necessary only to preserve the 
record of what we shall see. Just now we need 
them to see anything at all. I have invented a camera 
by means of which what happens on the surface un- 
der treatment will be caught on a specially prepared 
paper, moving on a roll, and developed instanta- 
neously by simply passing through an acid bath. The 
paper runs on big spools and can be rolled or unrolled 
at will.” 

“ Wonderful ! ” exclaimed Lund. 

“ And now let us commence at once.” The Pro- 
fessor rose from his chair, pulled over his photo- 
graphic apparatus and showed Lund how to work it. 

Tannemore looked on in silence. His firm-set lips 
and the rise and fall of his chest alone told of his sup- 
pressed excitement. Whatever the success or failure 
of this experiment meant to others in the interests of 
science, to him it was more, much more. It was life 
or death, honour or disgrace. 

Finally Clusius looked up from the apparatus: 
“ And now, friends, remember ! ” he whispered. 
“ These cabin walls are only wooden partitions, and 
no one must know what we are doing here.” The 
others nodded and the scientist continued : “ I 

thought that all was ready — but — we haven’t any- 
thing to experiment on. Funny, but that slipped my 


44 


MENE TEKEL 


mind entirely. What shall we take for our first ob- 
ject? Why, what’s this on the table? — a woman’s 
fan ? What’s it doing here ? ” 

“ One of the ladies left it in the saloon,” explained 
Lund in embarrassment ; “ I was about to take it up 
on deck to give it to her when Lord Tannemore came 
to fetch me.” 

“ And so you brought it in with you? Well, that 
will do very nicely for our purpose.” 

Clusius fastened the outstretched fan in a steel rack 
on the table. Under it he placed a metal jar with a 
screw top, turned the lens of the camera on the silken 
surface, and asked Lund to stand ready. Then he 
closed the window tightly, drew the dark curtains over 
it and shut the door to the inner cabin. 

Deep silence reigned in the darkened room, broken 
only by the gentle lapping of the waves against the 
ship’s wall outside, and by the monotonous stamp of 
the engine. 

“ When you hear the click of my watch-cover, Hjal- 
mar, you may start your camera.” 

There was a pause, then Lund caught the little sig- 
nal. He took the cap from the lens and loosened the 
catch that held the roll of paper. The latter began 
to move with a gentle humming noise. 

Slowly a gleam arose from the open fan, a faint 
gleam that now shone out more brightly, now faded 
into blackness. One moment it would be quite dark, 
and again a brighter ray would lighten the cabin like 
fleeting sunshine through opening clouds. 

“ The pictures are passing with incredible swift- 
ness. In sixty seconds we have taken up the im- 
pressions of an entire year,” whispered Clusius. 

“ It’s marvellous,” gasped Lund, his hand on the 
bars of the apparatus. 

Tannemore stood gazing with wide eyes at the mys- 
terious glimmering light. 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


45 


“ Six hundred seconds/’ Clusius counted. “ Ten 
years, the fan is old. There, that will do,” he said a 
little later ; “ stop the paper. This is sufficient.” 

Lund checked the machinery and Tannemore started 
for the window. 

“ Wait a moment,” said Clusius ; “ we must pass 
the paper through the bath. Now you may open the 
window,” he added a few moments later. 

Tannemore’s hand shook as he drew the curtain 
and raised the shutter. “ Is it successful? ” he asked 
hoarsely. 

“ We’ll see,” returned Clusius. He drew up a 
little table in front of the window, placed the spools 
holding the paper upon it, and sat down. Tanne- 
more and Lund stood behind him, bending over his 
shoulder. 

“ It begins here,” said Clusius, unrolling the paper. 
“ Here’s the bright spot made by the sunlight when 
I opened the fan.” 

“ And here’s a big dark blotch,” said Tannemore. 
“ What does that mean ? ” 

“ Queer — that’s no shadow ! ” exclaimed Clusius. 
“ It has no shape at all; what can it be? ” 

“ Could it be a spot on the fan ? ” suggested Tanne- 
more. 

“ Yes, that must be it,” said Lund hastily. 

“ And these lines of light through it, up-and-down 
streaks ! ” exclaimed Tannemore. “ Oh, I know ; it’s 
a grease spot that was taken out by some cleansing 
process.” 

“ Very likely,” said Clusius; “ that sounds feasible.” 

“ How wonderful that we should be looking on at 
processes that happened possibly many years ago!” 
exclaimed the Englishman eagerly. 

Lund moved uneasily and was about to answer, 
when the Professor spoke : “ No, this spot is of 

very recent date. Ah, here’s a real shadow.” 


46 


MENE TEKEL 


“ At last/' breathed Tannemore. 

“ And the object that threw the shadow came very 
close to the fan — the outlines are more distinct — 
it’s a head.” 

“ A man’s head in profile. Now the features are 
becoming more distinct,” Tannemore bent over the 
moving paper as he spoke. “ Why — it looks like, 
it is Lund.” 

“ Undoubtedly,” said the Professor, smiling. “ And 
here he is still and more of him. What were you 
doing with this fan, Hjalmar? You must have been 
bending over it for nearly half an hour in bright 
sunlight.” 

Lund was too embarrassed to answer and Tanne- 
more relieved him of the task. “ I begin to under- 
stand,” he said merrily ; “ it was some one we know 
who cleaned the spot out of this fan, in sharp sunlight 
to make it disappear more quickly.” 

“ Dear me — dear me,” sighed Lund. “ This new 
scientific discovery is extremely interesting, but it’s 
very indiscreet.” 

The paper was now all dark. “ This is the natural 
darkness of the night ! ” exclaimed Clusius ; “ now 
we can measure the time exactly.” He rolled the 
paper off quickly. “ Here is the spot again ; it was 
on the fan yesterday, then. And here’s a series of 
indefinite shadows — now it’s quite dark again for a 
long time.” 

“ What does that mean?” asked Tannemore. 

“ The fan must have lain in a tightly closed box 
for a long time,” replied Clusius, rolling off the paper 
rapidly. “ Ah, here comes the light again — a bril- 
liant light. It is spring or early summer — see the 
leaves on the trees, the young leaves — see how they 
move; there was a slight wind but it was a brilliantly 
clear sunny day. Look, look, friends; whoever used 
this fan was sitting in a trellised arbour — see the 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


47 


shape of the bars and the leaves of the vine. The 
leaves change their outline — they are moving in the 
wind. But whoever carried the fan was sitting still. 
Ah, here is the shadow of a head, a woman's head — 
what a delicate, pretty profile — this is a young 
woman and I’ve seen her somewhere.” 

“ Unless I’m greatly mistaken — it’s the pretty 
Danish girl, the belle of the ship,” said Tannemore. 
“ Then the fan belongs to her ! ” He glanced mock- 
ingly at Lund, who did not speak. “ Yes, see — see, 
it is she,” he said. “ Isn’t it wonderful ; how long 
ago was this, do you think? She looks a little dif- 
ferent.” 

“ It must be about a year ago,” replied the Pro- 
fessor. 

The paper rolled on from one spool to the other 
and for a few minutes there was nothing said, while 
Lund’s eyes grew wide with an expression of amazed 
surprise. A bright smile lightened the tensity of the 
Professor’s face and Tannemore chuckled outright. 
“ Really this is an amazing invention ! ” On the 
paper before them they had seen the shadow of 
another head approach that of the girl, a man’s head, 
they could see the comer of a little moustache, then 
Lund exclaimed involuntarily : “ That was a kiss.” 

“ A kiss with a military cap on,” laughed Clusius ; 
“ the outlines are quite distinct.” 

“ It’s incredible ! ” gasped the assistant. 

“ Which shows how careless it is to kiss in such 
bright sunlight,” remarked Clusius, and Tannemore 
added: “ For one never can tell when that kiss may 
be seen a year later by inquisitive scientists.” Lund 
said nothing further, but looked down at the paper 
with an air of deep sadness. 

“ Now the fan is dark again. It was shut up — 
shut up for a long time,” murmured Clusius as he 
rolled the paper off again. “ Look — see these flashes 


48 


MENE TEKEL 


and streaks of unequal light — that is artificial light 
coming from various directions at once. The young 
lady was at a ball with her fan. Now she has held 
it folded in her hands — now she has opened it again. 
Now darkness for a long, long time. The fan was 
seldom used.” 

“ Here’s the silhouette of a head again ! ” exclaimed 
Lund. “ It’s another face this time, an older woman.” 

“ And here’s another — a very old face — with an 
old-fashioned arrangement of the hair. This woman 
must have been aged even some years ago.” It was 
Tannemore who spoke now. 

“ It’s her grandmother,” said Lund, in a tone of 
conviction. 

“ You must know,” laughed Tannemore, “ and here 
are letters, old letters that have been rubbed out ! Oh ! 
then we shall really see how men wrote in Assyria 
thousands of years back! ” 

“ Where are the letters ? ” asked Lund. “ Yes, yes, 
I see them.” The outlines of the edge of the fan 
were quite distinct and on it stood the words, scribbled 
in a girlish hand: “Yes, if grandmother isn’t at 
home. At five o’clock as usual, Your loving Erna.” 

Clusius read the sentences aloud, and both he and 
Tannemore could not resist a laugh. Lund smiled 
also, but he did not look happy. 

“ These written words are of great importance to 
us in our experiments,” said Clusius. “ We can 
measure the time at which they were written, so that 
it will be quite possible for us to reckon the time of 
impressions made in ancient Nineveh. But now I am 
tired, Hjalmar, will you roll off the paper? ” 

They sat in silence now, watching the play of light 
and shadow on the paper before them. The various 
experiences in which the fan had been concerned were 
of personal interest to one of them only, but to the 
others it meant the confirming of practical details in 


WHAT THE FAN REVEALED 


49 


the working of the great discovery. So they sat over 
it for a long time and the rays of the sun were already 
well aslant when the Professor stopped the roll and 
pushed back his chair. 

“ That will do,” he said. “ We have watched eleven 
years of the fan’s history. It means success. What 
we have done here we will do among the ruins of 
ancient Assyria — in a larger measure — in greater 
scope.” He stretched out his arms like a man resting 
after heavy labour. 

“ Success ! ” whispered Tannemore, swaying gently. 
He caught at a chair and fell heavily into it. Visions 
danced before his eyes, visions of possibilities un- 
precedented in scientific research. Then a great weari- 
ness came upon him, and he realised how severe had 
been the strain of the last days, with all that they had 
meant to him. 

Lund also was tired, tired and hungry, and just a 
little oppressed by this latest evidence of the great- 
ness of the man to whose service he had dedicated 
himself. 

Clusius busied himself quietly about his apparatus. 
He loosened the fan from the frame. 

“ Take this to its fair owner, Hjalmar,” he said. 
“ I am afraid she’ll be angry with you for keeping it 
so long on such a sunny day. Hurry up on deck. 
We’ll follow you in time for supper.” 


CHAPTER VI 

THE OVATION ON BOARD THE PANDORA 

Next morning a sudden crash aroused Hjalmar Lund 
from a sound sleep. 

He sat up, only half awake. Before his eyes still 
danced dreams in which Assyrian hieroglyphs played 
hide-and-seek in the soft curls of a certain golden 
head. 

“ Did anybody knock ?” he murmured. And then 
he did hear a knock unmistakably. 

He sprang out of his bunk and unlocked the door. 
“ Good morning, Tannemore,” he said, jumping back 
into bed and drawing up the covers over him. 

“ Good morning/’ was the answer in a strange 
voice. Lund, who had supposed his visitor to be 
Tannemore, flung himself around, and gazed astonished 
into the smiling face of a stockily built, square-shoul- 
dered man who walked into his cabin and sat down on 
the edge of the bed, though quite a stranger. 

“ Pardon me,” remarked Lund, “ but I haven’t the 
honour — ” 

“Of my acquaintance,” cut in the stranger. “ I 
know, but that doesn’t matter. I know you. You 
are Mr. Holger Swendborg from Bergen, Norway.” 

Lund sat up and looked at his visitor. He remem- 
bered now having seen the man on deck and at table. 
Before he could find words to express his opinion of 
the intrusion, the stranger continued : “ I know also 

that you are a young man of considerable learning 
and of high intelligence.” 

Lund bowed. “ Thank you. But perhaps you will 
SO 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 51 

tell me who you are and why you are here at this 
hour? ” 

“ Certainly, certainly. My name is Elias Sleiding. 
I live in Melbourne and am the proprietor of a 
Thought and Idea Agency.” 

“ A what ? ” exclaimed Lund. 

“ A Thought and Idea Agency. I buy and sell 
original ideas and thoughts.” 

“ How very interesting,” remarked Lund gently. 
He was now quite sure his visitor was crazy. 

“ I was listening to you last evening ; I overheard 
your conversation with that rude Englishman who 
sits next to you at table.” 

“ Sir ! ” cried Lund angrily. “ Please be more care- 
ful of your language.” 

“ Well, he is rude just the same,” rejoined Sleiding, 
shaking out a large yellow silk handkerchief. “ Only 
five minutes ago he threw me out of his room, with 
such force that I nearly broke the cabin wall opposite. 
I call that a rude way of expressing one’s feelings.” 

Lund began to be really interested in his strange 
visitor. 

“ What is it you want of me, then? ” he asked more 
gently. 

“ I will tell you. But if you wish to dress, don’t 
mind me. Your boots are in front of the door.” 

“ Much obliged,” said Lund. “ But I shall dress 
alone, and very soon too.” 

“ Very well,” answered Sleiding. “ I like plain 
speaking in business matters. As I told you, I buy 
and sell original ideas. I buy them from people who 
have them; I buy ideas that can be used by painters, 
writers and scholars. I heard you talking to your 
friend last evening, and I propose to you to become 
one of my contributors.” 

Lund sat looking at the man for a few minutes in 
silent surprise. Then he remarked : “ My dear Mr, 


52 


MENE TEKEL 


Sleiding, your enterprise is something so entirely 

new to me that I must ask for a little explanation. 
Tell me something about it. I will get up later.” 

Sleiding took out a big cigar and lit it with elaborate 
care, asking permission to smoke. Then he began: 

“Very well, Mr. Swendborg, I will give you some 
of the details. The raw material of the mental worker 
is the Thought, the Idea, is it not? Now there are a 
great many people who are very lacking in ideas, 
although nowadays, with the general spread of 
education, there are so many more than ever before 
who are trained to express ideas. But, of course, 
they do not meet with any great measure of success 
if they haven’t the ideas to express. So they are 
anxious to find the Idea wherever they can. Do you 
begin to understand? It is for people like this that 
I have established my Agency. But I serve all hu- 
manity as well. What would the world be without 
new and good ideas ? ” 

Lund rearranged his pillow and sat up straight. 
“ I understand the reason for your Agency now,” he 
said. “ But I don’t quite understand how you can 
gather and sell the ideas — I mean, I can’t imagine 
the business workings of the enterprise.” 

“That’s easy,” said Sleiding; “listen now. The 
thoughts and ideas that I buy are divided into two 
classes: first class, general ideas; second class, detail 
ideas. The general ideas, of course, are such as allow 
of development in various lines. They are the highest 
paid, while the detail ideas bring in about two-thirds 
of the price of the others. There are several highly 
educated men working in my office, sorting the ideas 
into these two general classes.” 

“And then?” asked Lund. 

“ Then,” continued Sleiding, “ we send them further 
to regularly engaged judges, who have bound them- 
selves by oath not to use any of the ideas shown them. 


THE OVATION. ON THE PANDORA 53 

For instance, the ideas for use in painting are sent to 
a painter who had made quite .a name for himself 
before he lost both arms in a railway accident. He 
divides them into the various styles of ideas and fixes 
the price.” 

“ Most interesting ! ” said Lund. “ And how about 
the literary ideas ? ” 

“Our judge for them is Mr. Henry Sliper. He 
was a poet at one time. But he has been married for 
four years now, is the father of triplets, and his 
mother-in-law and two unmarried sisters-in-law live 
with him. He does not write any more poetry.” 

Lund laughed and Sleiding joined in. Then he 
continued : “ There’s another group to which I should 

like to call your attention. Epigrams, bons mots and 
the like. During your conversation which I overheard 
last evening, you uttered at least two pounds five 
shillings’ worth.” 

Lund laughed again. “ Very well,” he said, hold- 
ing out his open hand. 

“Oh, no,” said Sleiding; “you don’t get anything 
for them, because I didn’t put them down. I’m an 
honest man; I forget what I don’t buy, and I didn’t 
know whether you’d care to be my contributor or not. 
Do you ? ” 

“ I’m afraid not, Mr. Sleiding,” answered Lund. 
“ I need all my ideas myself. But now tell me, is 
there any danger of an idea being used several 
times ? ” 

“ Not the slightest,” said Sleiding. “ A copy of 
those sold is put in the archives and carefully pre- 
served for ten years at least. There was a robbery 
in my office once and a large number of dramatic 
ideas were stolen. But we never heard anything of 
them later; the thieves were doubtless unable to make 
any use of them. The repetition of an idea after 
ten years does not matter.” 


54 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Tell me,” said Lund, “ how has the world in 
general regarded your enterprise ? ” 

Sleiding smiled. “ Laughed at me, of course ; and 
I have found it necessary to have my office in a quiet 
street and to remove my sign from the door. So 
much fun was made of it in the newspapers that my 
clients were afraid to come. But now to business, — 
have you any thoughts to sell me?” 

Lund shook his head. “ No, as I told you, I have 
only just enough for what I need myself.” 

“ Then you might look over this price-list,” said 
Sleiding. “ There might be something here you 
would care to buy. And now, good morning.” 

Left alone, Lund held the price-list in his hand and 
looked at it with a feeling that just at that moment 
he hadn’t a shilling’s worth of saleable ideas in his 
head. Then one did come to him, the idea that it 
would be wise to dress and go to breakfast. 

When he left his cabin and turned down towards 
Tannemore’s room a few paces distant, he found his 
friend in consultation with the ship’s carpenter con- 
cerning the broken panel in the door opposite. 

“ That was a good one you gave him, sir,” the 
workman was saying, his eyes upraised in admiration 
to the tall Englishman. “ There’s two panels just 
about ready to fall out. He must have been tough 
or else he’s broken a rib sure.” 

“ I’m glad that cabin is vacant,” remarked Tanne- 
more calmly. 

“ But it isn’t, sir; there’s a gentleman in it.” 

“ Dear me, how very unfortunate,” Tannemore was 
greatly concerned. “ I must make my apologies for 
disturbing him.” 

He knocked gently at the door, which was opened 
in a moment. A small man, slightly inclined to plump- 
ness, stood smiling up at them merrily. 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 55 


“ You are certainly a humorist, sir/’ he said in 
German. “ First you throw a man through the wall 
into my room, then you knock on the door as gently 
as a sucking dove — afraid of awakening me, I sup- 
pose.” 

“ My dear Mr. Schmidgruber, I do hope I didn’t 
frighten you.” 

“ Oh, no ; I suppose it was some slight difference 
of opinion. I don’t like that man Sleiding myself.” 

Schmidgruber, who had already made Tannemore’s 
acquaintance and had had several talks with him, took 
the Englishman’s hand and shook it warmly. Tanne- 
more had taken a fancy to the genial little man, an 
Austrian who described himself as a country squire 
on a pleasure trip. With less than his usual reserve 
the English nobleman proposed that Schmidgruber 
join him and Lund at breakfast. And the Austrian 
assented gladly. 

“ Why, what’s up,” he exclaimed, as they entered 
the saloon. 

The whole place shone as if in new polish, wood- 
work and glass glittered alike in mirrored smoothness. 
Even during the breakfast hour the stewards were 
carrying on a general renovating process. There was 
an air of preparation as for some important event 
about the big room. 

“ What’s going on ? ” Schmidgruber asked a 
steward. 

“ Don’t know, sir ; Captain’s orders,” replied the 
man. 

“ Looks as if they were going to have a party, 
doesn’t it ? ” The Austrian turned to his companions 
&nd found they were not listening. He followed the 
direction of their eyes and saw a tall man in oriental 
garb, with a heavy black beard, just coming into the 
door of the saloon. The man advanced a few paces 


MENE TEKEE 


56 

majestically, caught sight of himself in a mirror, 
stopped, took another look, then turned and left the 
saloon more quickly then he had entered it. 

“What was the matter with him?” asked Tanne- 
more. 

“ I fancy his beard wasn’t curled to suit him,” 
answered Lund, with a laugh. 

“ Do you know who that was ? ” asked Schmid- 
gruber casually. 

“ No. He’s an interesting type, but I don’t like 
him,” replied Tannemore. “ I can’t make him out. 
He dresses like a Turk and speaks English like an 
Englishman. I’ve heard him talking French and 
Italian, fairly well, too ! ” 

“ He speaks German well,” said Schmidgruber. 

“ He has the air of being somebody of importance,” 
put in Lund. “ But I don’t like him, although I 
couldn’t say why.” 

“ I don’t like him either,” persisted Schmidgruber. 
“ But I know why I don’t.” 

“ That’s interesting,” remarked Tannemore, look- 
ing down into the little man’s now serious grey eyes. 
“ Do you mind telling me ? I should really like to 
know.” 

Schmidgruber looked at both men in a slight em- 
barrassment, then he answered : “ It’s his thumbs. 

Don’t laugh at me, I am not talking idly. A man’s 
hands may often tell us very much more than his face, 
the expression of which can be controlled.” 

Lund moved as if to speak, then decided not to, and 
the little man continued. “ I’m saying this to you 
because I believe you capable of thinking for your- 
selves. My idea is this : The hand, both in its shape 
and its motions, is no less full of expression than the 
face from which we read the character, and the mood 
of the individual — or think we do. For we are all 
too much inclined to trust the face, and pay no atten- 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 57 

tion to the hand. But, of course, I do not mean to 
say it is as easy to understand the expression of the 
hands and what is in them, as it is to study the face. 
We must take into consideration that a man’s occupa- 
tion has its influence on the shape of his hands, as 
well as on his manner of using them. But in spite of 
this, I contend that the hands reveal much more than 
does the face.” 

“ You are right,” said Lund thoughtfully. Tanne- 
more too, looked greatly interested. 

Schmidgruber continued : “ The face can lie ; its 

expression can be controlled by the exercise of the 
will, or often by mere conventional habit. How often 
can a man deceive everybody, ay, and a woman, too, 
— lead the whole world astray as to his or her true 
character. This could not happen if we would learn 
to study the hands.” 

The little man paused and looked at his hearers. 
They smiled back at him, with expectant interest. 

“ Hands cannot deceive us — they cannot lie — as 
the face has learned to lie. We have all been taught 
to lie with our faces, but who has ever taught us to 
control our hands? Now I have studied hands for 
years, from various points of view. I studied them 
first in their relation to the expression of the face, 
then again independently — watching them where they 
alone have spoken, where the face is stony, fixed in 
firm control. And this Turk, or whatever he is, has 
a dreadful thumb. Really beautiful thumbs are very 
rare. But also a noticeably repellent thumb is rare, 
and wherever you see it, it is safe to conclude that 
its owner needs watching. Most great criminals have 
had abnormal thumbs. Look at this man’s thumb 
some time. I don’t know anything about him. He 
may be the most peaceful person in the world, but I 
would not trust him.” 

There was a pause after this sudden personal end- 


58 


MENE TEKEL 


ing to Schmidgruber’ s psychological dissertation. 
Finally Lund asked the Austrian if he had ever had 
occasion to put into practice his theories of judg- 
ing a man’s character by his hands. 

“ Oh, yes,” said the little man, smiling; “ my theory 
has been very useful to me in a number of cases.” 

“ How extremely interesting,” said a voice behind 
Schmidgruber. The latter turned with a suddenness 
in striking contrast to his usual easy manner. “ Oh, 
Mr. Smithson! Have you come in for breakfast? 
We were so absorbed that we didn’t hear you. Pos- 
sibly you can tell us the reason for all this cleaning 
up on board?” 

“ There’s ever so much more going on above,” said 
the newcomer, seating himself beside them. “ I un- 
derstand there’s to be a celebration to-day in honour of 
some great man whom we have on board ! ” 

“ Indeed ! ” exclaimed Schmidgruber ; “ who is it ? ” 

Tannemore and Lund exchanged glances of con- 
sternation, then bent over their plates as if not at all 
interested. 

“ Why, I’m not sure that I know. I have an idea, 
but I doubt if it’s the right one.” 

“ You’ll excuse us, gentlemen,” said Tannemore, 
rising and motioning to Lund. “ I want to get up on 
deck and take a look around to see where we are.” 
He bowed stiffly to Smithson, more amiably to 
Schmidgruber, and the two left the saloon. 

‘‘Friends of yours?” asked Smithson, left alone 
with the little Austrian. 

“ No,” replied Schmidgruber indifferently. 

“ There’s another man with them, I believe ; an 
elderly man — seems to be an invalid. They call him 
Digby. Do you know him ? ” 

“ No, don’t think I’ve seen him yet. You seem 
interested.” 

“ Not more than in any of the passengers. It’s 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 59 

always interesting to me to study a group of people 
thrown together like this. By the way, have you 
ever seen the famous Professor Clusius, the great 
Swedish scientist ? ” 

The Austrian shot a quick glance out of his keen 
eyes at the other, then bent over his plate. “ No, 
why ? ” 

“ Why — I have an idea that he’s on board.” 

“ Do you think so ? ” said Schmidgruber. 

“ And that that’s the reason for all this prepara- 
tion; they’re planning to give him an ovation. Have 
you seen that tall man with the black beard in oriental 
costume ? ” 

“ One can’t help seeing him. He’s so very notice- 
able.” 

“ He looks something like the pictures of Clusius — 
except for his heavy beard.” 

Schmidgruber turned to his companion with great 
interest. “ You think he’s Clusius? ” 

“ I don’t know — only I don’t know that he isn't” 

“ That’s true; no more do I.” 

On deck Tannemore and Lund looked about them. 

“ It does seem as if something special was going 
on,” said Lund. 

“ That man Smithson’s a deuced bore,” commented 
Tannemore. “Impudent, too — talks to everybody 
without an introduction. Yes, you’re right; look at 
the fellow washing out the flags there. Do you really 
suppose that — ” 

“ That any one has found out ? ” asked Lund. “ It 
would be dreadful.” 

“ It would. Every idle curiosity-seeker on board 
would besiege him, and we should be met by reporters 
on landing — ” 

“ And we shouldn’t be alone an hour, not even in 
the heart of the desert.” 


6o 


MENE TEKEL 


“No; by Jove, this is serious, if it’s true,” said 
Tannemore, gnawing the ends of his moustache nerv- 
ously. “ He couldn’t work if he were disturbed and 
— it means a deuced lot to me, you know.” 

They stood by the rail in silence for a few moments. 
Finally Lund said: “Mightn’t it be somebody else? 
Some other celebrity? Why should it be Clusius?” 

“ Who else do you think it is ? ” 

“ That mysterious Oriental possibly. Maybe he’s 
an Indian Rajah — an Asiatic despot. What a 
triumph for Schmidgruber that would be.” 

“ He’s not a Hindoo — but he might be a Persian,” 
said Tannemore. “This thing worries me; I don’t 
like it. Let us see what we can find out ourselves. 
I’m going to the Captain.” 

“ That’s a good plan,” said Lund. “ And I’ll begin 
with the cook. Cooks know a good deal sometimes. 
You go on down through the list of officers and 
I’ll work my way up. We may meet at the Pur- 
ser’s.” 

“ Or at luncheon,” laughed Tannemore. “ Good- 
bye until then.” 

A little after one, the gong sounded for the mid-day 
meal. The guests, noticing the extra preparations 
about the ship, had given more than usual care to their 
toilets. There was an air of expectancy about the 
whole company. 

Erna Lengdale came in slowly and took her place 
between her father and the Oriental. She looked 
depressed, in spite of the beautiful day and the general 
atmosphere of excitement. Ever since yesterday 
evening, when he had returned her fan to her with a 
few words of formal politeness, Mr. Swendborg had 
not appeared to take the slightest interest in her. She 
had seen him moving about the deck all the morning, 
talking to various people, particularly among the 
sailors and stewards, but, beyond a bow as he passed 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 61 


her, he had not noticed her existence. She could not 
understand it, and she did not like it. 

When she sat down at the table she saw a little 
bunch of flowers at her place. With a sudden start 
her eyes sought the other side of the table. The 
place she looked for was vacant. Then she saw that 
a similar bouquet was in front of every lady at the 
table. The light died out in her soft eyes and she 
turned to her father with a question : “ Why have 

we these flowers to-day? Is it some special oc- 
casion? ” 

“ Eve heard something of the kind,” answered Mr. 
Lengdale, a quiet-looking man of middle age. 

“ And the Captain’s with us, too,” said Erna, look- 
ing around. “ He looks much cheerier than usual. 
What can be going on ? ” 

Then her eyes brightened again as she saw Mr. 
vSwendborg coming down the stairs. He was glanc- 
ing anxiously around the saloon, but not for her ap- 
parently, as his expression did not change until he 
caught sight of his friend Lord Lomond, who was 
sitting on the sofa at the other end of the room. 
The Englishman arose, went forward to meet Swend- 
borg, and said a few words to him in a low tone, upon 
which they came down to their places at the table 
together. 

“ They are certainly the most distinguished-looking 
men on board,” thought Erna. Then she met a full 
glance from the blue eyes opposite her, and raised 
the flowers to her face to cover her confusion. 

Schmidgruber, who sat at the other side of Erna’s 
father, looked over at Tannemore and Lund. They 
shook their heads at the question in his eyes. Then he 
turned his in the direction of the Oriental, and raised 
one thumb so that the others could see. 

“ I’m glad our little friend can’t see the Professor’s 
hands at table,” whispered Tannemore to Lund, lean- 


62 


MENE TEKEL 


ing across Chisms’ still empty chair, “ or he would 
recognise that they belong to a man of importance.” 

The Professor, who now came in quietly and slip- 
ped into his chair almost unnoticed, sat very nearly 
opposite the Austrian. But between them was an 
arrangement of fruits which almost hid their view of 
each other. 

When the main part of the meal was over, the 
Captain motioned to the head steward. Fresh glasses 
were brought and bottles of champagne opened. The 
glasses were filled and the Captain rose in his place, 
rapping on the table for attention. 

“ Ladies and gentlemen,” he began solemnly, “ I 
have a most interesting piece of news for you, a 
delightful surprise. There is among us, at this very 
table, a man whom I have long wished to see. A man 
whose name and fame are known wherever science is 
known and revered, a man whom the great minds of 
to-day consider one of their greatest.” 

Here the Captain made a pause, and the eyes of the 
entire company turned towards him expectant. 

“ This man is with us to-day. He, the brightest 
star of science — one of the great geniuses of the 
century — he has honoured the Pandora by becoming 
our fellow passenger for this trip. I ask you all to 
join me in a respectful greeting to the great Professor 
Clusius. We drink this glass in his honour.” 

As the Captain paused again, a sudden uproar arose 
outside. The steam whistle filled the air with clamour 
and the ship’s cannon thundered a salute. The crew 
assembled on the deck added a many-voiced hurrah 
to the general tumult. 

Below in the cabin, there was a moment of intense 
excitement. Every one looked at his neighbour with 
the question, “ Who is it? Which is he?” Every 
one, except four of the passengers. 

Ema Lengdale gasped in astonishment, while the 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 63 

quick colour flowed up over her delicately tinted face. 
It was such a surprise to her, it was a shock of pleasure 
that was almost painful, to think that the great man 
she so much admired should turn out to be her fellow 
passenger. 

Lund looked down at his plate, biting his lips in the 
endeavour to control his face. Tannemore leaned 
back in his chair, staring over the heads of the rest 
with an absolute lack of expression. Clusius seemed 
quite calm and sat motionless. 

Suddenly Erna started again and turned in her 
chair. The man beside her in oriental garb had risen 
and was now bowing to the Captain, then to the rest 
of the company. 

“ Why ? ” she almost gasped. “ How can it be ? 
This oriental-looking man ? ” 

One could see by the astonished glances of a number 
of the others that the same thought was occupying 
their minds. Professor Clusius, the celebrated scien- 
tist, was known to be a Scandinavian, a Swede. This 
man might be anything else but that. Erna was dazed. 
And looking to her father, as if to ask help from him, 
she caught an equally surprised glance from a pair 
of grey eyes beyond him. Schmidgruber was bending- 
forward, looking at the Oriental. The astonishment 
in his eyes changed to a question as his brows drew 
down sharply and his lids drooped until only a narrow 
slit could be seen. He was evidently intensely in- 
terested. 

At this new surprise Tannemore and Lund sat as if 
turned to stone. Lund passed his hand across his 
eyes once and Tannemore gnawed the end of his 
moustache. Otherwise their gaze hung, with an 
astonishment far exceeding that of the others, on the 
man who stood upright at the table, bowing his thanks 
for the ovation. 

The real Clusius sat quiet. A slight flash of sur- 


MENE TEKEL 


64 

prise which had gleamed up in his face gave way to 
an expression of gentle amusement. His lips curved, 
but he said nothing. As he caught the indignant 
start given by his friends, he stretched out his hands 
and held their arms. “ Don’t move,” he whispered ; 
“ dofft say a word ! It’s the best thing that could have 
happened.” 

The little by-play was not noticed in the general 
tumult. 

When the first excitement passed, silence fell upon 
the cabin again. And the Oriental began to speak. 

“ Friends, fellow travellers,” he said. “ Through 
some unexplained chance our kind Captain here has 
learned that I am on board. It was my intention to 
remain unknown, as I am setting out on a journey 
of scientific research. To preserve my incognito I 
had adopted the oriental costume. It is one that 
changes a man’s appearance greatly, and will also 
leave me undisturbed in my wanderings through 
oriental countries. Yet, anxious as I was to remain 
unknown, it would be hypocrisy to deny that I am 
deeply touched by such an ovation as this. I thank 
you, Captain, and you, my fellow travellers, for your 
great kindness. I ask you to join me in drinking a 
glass to our Captain and the officers of the Pandora ” 

The Oriental left his place and walked forward to 
the Captain’s seat, touching glasses with him. 

Then the passengers thronged about and there was 
a general shaking of hands and clinking of glasses as 
they passed in review before the great man. The 
first who came to offer congratulations was the real 
Clusius. With a friendly smile he raised his eyes to 
those of the taller man, held out his glass and re- 
marked amiably : “ I drink with you to the honour 

of Science.” 

Lund sat still in his place, the veins in his hands 
swelling as he clasped his glass tightly. 


THE OVATION ON THE PANDORA 65 


Tannemore, scarcely less excited, whispered to 
him : “ I should like to throw my glass in his face, 

too, but we’d better not. He may be a fool — or he 
may be a rascal. There’s something behind all this 
and we must find out what it is.” 


CHAPTER VII 

A MISUNDERSTANDING 

A little while after the passengers had left the dining 
saloon, Erna Lengdale and Hjalmar Lund met on the 
deck. The girl’s manner was noticeably cool. Lund 
was surprised, and wondered if she was hurt because 
he had not spoken to her that morning. His reasons 
for avoiding her had been partly a little personal ir- 
ritation, a natural jealousy after the revelations of the 
fan, and his enquiries among the crew had taken more 
time than he realised. 

Now that this astonishing thing had happened and 
he and his friends had not yet dared to meet in con- 
sultation over the occurrence, his first thought was to 
utilise his leisure as pleasantly as possible. This 
meant, in Erna’s company. 

He greeted her with eager pleasure, but she bowed 
coolly and turned as if to leave him. 

“ Miss Lengdale, won’t you stay with me a few 
moments ? ” he asked. 

“ Sorry,” she replied; “ I’m not in the mood to listen 
to fairy tales to-day.” 

“ Fairy tales ? I don’t understand,” he ventured, 
uncertain. 

“ Wasn’t it a fairy tale? Your telling me that you 
knew Professor Clusius?” 

Lund realised the situation suddenly. He flushed 
deeply and looked utterly helpless for a moment. He 
could not tell her the truth, and he realised in a flash 
that she must think him a braggart and a liar. How 
could it be' otherwise ? She had seen him at table and 
66 


A MISUNDERSTANDING 


67 


must have noticed that the object of the ovation was 
a total stranger to him. She must think, of course, 
he had been lying to her, and quite naturally she must 
despise him. Lund set his teeth and clenched his 
fists, but could say nothing. 

“ You were right in saying he looked dignified,” 
Erna went on, “ but I can’t say that I think him kind 
or sympathetic. I was greatly surprised when I dis- 
covered who he was, and I confess I was disappointed. 
I disliked him from the first, and was sorry that he 
sat beside me at table. Still, that has nothing to do 
with you. It was plain that you had never seen the 
Professor before.” 

“ You are quite right, Miss Lengdale.” 

“ Then you acknowledge ? ” 

“ I acknowledge that I have never seen this Pro- 
fessor Clusius before.” 

“ And yet you told me so much about him ; told me 
about him with as much assurance, as much conviction 
as — as if it were really true!” 

“ Miss Lengdale — ” 

“ Oh, no ! Don’t try to make it any better ; you 
must see what I — what I am obliged to think of you. 
I suppose all the rest of your talk was just as untrue. 
You said you knew his assistant too, but I suppose you 
don’t — and I suppose he doesn’t look anything like 
you — and I suppose that he doesn’t know so very 
much after all — in fact, the Professor said so.” 

“ What did the Professor say ? ” asked Lund with a 
start. 

“ Does it interest you ? ” said Erna coldly. 

“ Decidedly,” answered Lund, trying to keep back a 
smile. “ Any opinion the Professor might give you as 
to his assistant would be of great interest to me.” 

“ Oh, then, it is I who have to inform you, and not 
you who have the information to give me.” Erna’s 
voice was icy with contempt. “ Well, then, I will tell 


68 


MENE TEKEL 


you, since you don’t seem really to know anything 
about this Mr. Lund, that the Professor told my 
father just now that his assistant — who is to meet 
him in Asia — is only good for the mechanical side 
of the work, and has very little real capacity for 
science.” 

“ Indeed,” said Lund ; “ this is most interesting. 
Did he say anything more ? ” 

“ You acknowledge, then, you don’t know anything 
about them yourself? ” 

“ I’ll acknowledge anything if you will stay here 
a few moments longer and tell me what else the Pro- 
fessor said.” Lund’s eyes looked hard and his voice 
was determined. 

Erna was surprised, and wondered whether she had 
made him very angry. 

“ Why — he told pappa he was travelling to Assyria 
on a matter of research concerning some old writings 
— hieroglyphics. Another gentleman came up who 
seemed to know something about some bricks in the 
British Museum. The Professor explained that a 
friend of his, an Englishman scholar by the name 
of Lord Tannemore, considered these bricks false. 
But the Professor does not agree with him, and his 
journey to Assyria is to prove that Lord Tannemore 
is mistaken. I don’t know whether I’ve got it right, 
but I remember what he said.” 

Erna considered herself very amiable in giving all 
this explanation, when she had vowed she would never 
speak to the young man again. She couldn’t help 
thinking that the look of determination on his face 
and the square set of his shoulders was very becoming. 
He did not say anything when she had finished, but 
stood looking out over the water, his lips tight set. 

“ But perhaps some day,” she began again, “ you 
will explain to me why you thought it necessary to 
tell me all those — those fairy stories.” 


A MISUNDERSTANDING 


69 


Lund turned back to her with a start and his eyes 
softened. “ If I could only tell you/’ he began, then 
stopped suddenly. 

Erna waited a moment, then, as if disappointed, 
remarked : “ You need tell me nothing more. Un- 

less possibly — if you could tell me where Professor 
Clusius is at the moment ? I want to ask him to write 
something on my fan.” 

“ I thought you said you were disappointed in him ? 
That you didn’t like him?” 

“ I may grow to like him,” replied the girl thought- 
fully. “ It often happens that one grows to dislike 
some one — some one one has liked once. Why 
shouldn’t the opposite be possible?” 

Lund’s face lit up, but he smiled quietly. 

“ I think you will find — the Professor on the other 
side of the deck. Good afternoon.” 

Erna bowed and walked off down the deck. Lund 
looked after her, frowned, and then smiled. “ Some 
one one has liked once! — but I mustn’t tell her the 
truth — I mustn’t — there is too much at stake for the 
others.” 

He stood for a long time looking over the rail, out 
across the water, until he became conscious of some 
one standing at his elbow. He turned quickly and 
saw Schmidgruber. 

“ Are you disappointed too ? ” asked Lund. “ But 
I must tell you that your theory as to hands is a 
remarkable one. I envy you your knowledge.” 

Schmidgruber looked up keenly, then smiled as if 
embarrassed. “ Are you laughing at me ? ” he asked. 
“ You think I should have recognised the celebrated 
man by his hands ? Or that I made a mistake 
when I said that he had the hands of a criminal? 
You may think it, if you will; I don’t mind. And I 
will tell you now that I am not disappointed in the 
working of my theory; only that I am disappointed 


70 


MENE TEKEL 


in the personal character of this celebrated Professor. 
I do not change my opinion of his hands.” 

Lund put both his own hands on the little man’s 
shoulders and bent down to him, as he whispered 
angrily: “You are right — absolutely right.. This 
feted celebrity is a rascal — or a fool, and I think the 
first.” Then he turned and walked swiftly down the 
deck, disappearing in the door of the companionway. 

Schmidgruber looked after him. 

“ H’m,” he murmured ; “ I thought so. It begins to 
grow interesting.” 

Lund hurried to Tannemore’s cabin, and finding it 
empty went to the Professor’s room. Here he found 
his friends together. 

“ Well, Hjalmar, what do you think of my second 
self?” Clusius looked up smiling. 

“ I think he’s a rascal ; and that there’s some plot 
at the back of it — some scheme to injure you,” 
answered the assistant. 

“ And do you know what our friend here has just 
been saying?” continued the Professor, with a wave 
of his hand towards Tannemore. 

Lund looked up in interest as Tannemore spoke: 
“ I think that I know who this man is. I believe him 
to be William Bridgeport, the forger of the tablets. 
We none of us know him — it just so happens that 
I have never met him anywhere, although I knew of 
him by reputation as an Assyriologist. Who else 
could have such an interest in giving out the opinions 
this man has been uttering since luncheon ? ” 

“ Then you have heard him ? ” asked Lund quickly. 

“ He is heaping scorn upon Tannemore and your- 
self?” the Professor answered with another question. 

“ Yes, and he says he is going to Assyria to prove 
that I am a liar,” said Tannemore. “ He seems to 
know all about the matter. His anxiety to inform 
everybody is proof positive that he is not merely a 


A MISUNDERSTANDING 


7 1 


fool, trying to pose as a celebrity for a day, as I 
thought at first. To me it is proof positive that he is 
none other than Bridgeport.” 

“ But what does he mean by it all ? ” asked the Pro- 
fessor thoughtfully. “ I can’t quite make it out.” 

“ Nor can I,” said Tannemore. “ But one thing is 
sure, this man has not come out on such a journey, 
has not put himself in danger of being exposed as an 
impostor, without some reason for it. He cannot 
know that we are on board, or he would not have 
dared to call himself Clusius. The question is, does 
he know where we are going, and why is he going 
to the East? There is some plot here, and I don’t 
like the looks of it.” 

“ And the worst of it is,” said Lund angrily, “ that 
the passengers will believe every word he says; the 
reporters will get hold of it the moment any of them 
land, and it will go through the papers everywhere.” 

“ And we must be silent, friends,” said Clusius 
gravely. “If there is any danger for us here, that 
is all the more reason we should say nothing 
now. We must find out what his plan is, and do it 
by not letting him know that we are here. Besides, 
we cannot prove anything against him once we land. 
It will get in the papers that Professor Clusius was 
on board and was feted by the passengers. But who 
can prove that it was not the real Clusius that was 
feted?” 

“ Exactly,” said Tannemore. “ All we could say 
wouldn’t help matters. We could prove that Bridge- 
port was on board, but Bridgeport might have been 
on board like any other passenger and simply chosen 
to have changed his name on the passenger list, as we 
did ourselves. No, there is nothing for us to do 
but keep quiet and be on our guard.” 


CHAPTER VIII 

WHICH CONCERNS TWO PEOPLE ONLY 

The Pandora unloaded a number of her passengers 
at Alexandria, skirted the delta of the Nile, had stop- 
ped at Port Said and was now on her way to Joppa. 

Erna Lengdale sat alone in a sheltered corner of 
the upper deck, looking out over the flat Egyptian 
coast; looking at it but not seeing it, for just as the 
Port Said light vanished on the horizon two big round 
tears rolled down her tender cheeks. 

She was very unhappy. The voyage was nearly at 
an end. She had been sadly disappointed in the 
character of the young man who had pleased her so 
at first, and worse than all he had not been near her 
since their last conversation, had scarcely even looked 
at her. She had given him plenty of opportunity, in 
the hope that he might come to excuse himself for the 
apparent falsehoods he had told, and to confess that 
it was the desire to look well in her eyes which had 
led him to pretend to be personally acquainted with 
the famous Professor she had so much admired. 

But he had taken no advantage of the many times 
he had seen her sitting alone on the deck. Erna was 
conscious of a decided feeling of oppression. In fact, 
his manner towards her had been different from the 
moment that he had returned her fan; not only that, 
but she had now and then caught a glance from the 
eyes of his two friends, resting on her as if with 
particular interest. She could not believe that Mr. 
Swendborg had been discussing her with the other 
72 


CONCERNING TWO PEOPLE ONLY 73 

two gentlemen, but she did not understand it and she 
did not like it. 

A step beside her startled her out of her meditations. 
It was Mrs. Henning, nominally her father’s house- 
keeper and her own maid, but in reality Erna’s faith- 
ful friend and guardian throughout her short life, 
watching over her like the mother she had early lost. 

“ Why, what are you doing, child? ” she exclaimed 
now in sympathetic astonishment. “ I believe you’re 
crying! Is this what we came on such a long journey 
for? You could have done that at home.” 

Erna smiled a weak smile, covered her face with 
her hands and began to sob aloud. 

“ Why, Erna, Erna, child, what’s the matter?” 
Mrs. Henning put her arm around the girl’s shoulder 
and drew the fair head to her breast. “ What is the 
matter? Your father is making this journey just to 
please you — to let you see something of the world, 
and here you are crying. Isn’t it a little ungrateful, 
child? Or are you seasick? ” 

At this Erna looked up and laughed aloud. “ Sea- 
sick? I? ” she exclaimed. “ After being on our own 
waters winter and summer, do you think this sort of 
thing could upset me ? ” She looked out contemp- 
tuously at the smooth mirror of the Mediterranean. 

“ Hush, child,” whispered Mrs. Henning, smiling. 
“ We aren’t on shore yet. I don’t know what names 
the water-gods go by down here, but please don’t 
make them angry, if only for my sake. I should hate 
to be seasick. And now tell me why you were cry- 
ing.” 

Erna said nothing and blushed violently. 

“ I rather fancy that I know,” said Mrs. Henning. 

“ What do you know ? ” asked Erna. 

“ I have eyes in my head, dear child, and I am not 
deaf and dumb either. Besides which, I rather like 
him myself.” 


74 


MENE TEKEL 


“ You too? ” said Erna naively. 

“ Why, yes, he looks very much of a gentleman, 
and he seems pretty well off. Your father wears no 
better clothes, and his studs are not as handsome as 
Mr. Swendborg’s.” 

“ Henning! The idea of thinking such a thing.” 

“ Oh, well, I suppose you spend all your time look- 
ing into his eyes! Have you had a quarrel? I 
haven’t seen him speaking to you the last day or two.” 

“ Yes, haven’t you noticed ? ” Erna’s voice was 
bitter. “ He has his reasons.” 

“ Indeed, what reasons ? ” 

Erna’s lips parted, then shut tight again. What- 
ever she might think herself, there was no reason 
why she must make it worse by talking of it to a 
third party. Mrs. Henning was far too wise to ask for 
an answer. She had learned not to interfere in other 
people’s affairs. And in her opinion the feelings of 
two young people for one another was the most per- 
sonal of all affairs. 

“ Well, that wasn’t what I came to talk about,” she 
said. “ I’m packing your trunks and I want to know 
what gown I shall leave out for you to wear on land- 
ing.” 

“ Any one you like ; I don’t care.” 

“Very well, I’ll see that you look pretty. And 
now that you are no longer alone I’ll go back to my 
work.” 

Erna turned half around, so that her back was 
toward the deck and her eyes looked out over the 
water. She heard a voice behind her say : “ Knute 

is looking everywhere for you, Mrs. Henning. He 
can’t find the cravat that Mr. Lengdale wants. I saw 
you come up here, so I told them I would send you 
down.” 

“ That was very kind of you, Mr. Swendborg,” 
answered Mrs. Henning. “And you came way up 


CONCERNING TWO PEOPLE ONLY 75 

here for that? ’Tisn’t every one would go to that 
trouble. I’ll hurry down and help them out.” 

Still Erna did not look around, though she heard 
Mrs. Henning’s steps as the latter hurried across the 
deck and down the stairway. 

“ What is it that interests you so much over there, 
Miss Lengdale ? ” asked the voice behind her. 

Erna turned slowly and with great dignity, trying 
to push back the rebellious curls that the wind tossed 
over her forehead. “ I was looking at the sailors 
hanging over the edge of the ship,” she answered in 
a cool tone. 

“ Cleaning ship ? It is interesting to watch.” 

“ Yes, isn’t it? I’d like to join them.” 

“ It would make your hands dirty.” 

“ Possibly. But it’s nice to see them cleaning up 
the ship — ” 

“ Because it means that we have nearly come to the 
end of our journey?” Erna did not answer at first 
and the colour faded from her cheeks. Finally she 
said : “ Why, yes, I’m glad we are nearly there.” 

Lund sighed lightly. “ We haven’t had a talk for 
some little time,” he began. 

“ It’s a few days now, I believe.” Erna was quite 
indifferent. 

“ And yet we have a good deal to say to each 
other.” 

“ Indeed ? And what ? ” she asked surprised. 

“ Or rather,” he continued, “ it is I who have some- 
thing to say to you.” 

“ Do you think so ? ” 

“ I do. No, please do not turn away. I’m afraid 
that you have no very high opinion of me just now.” 

“ I love truth above all things,” said Erna, quite 
low, looking out over the water again. 

“ And so do I.” 

“ Indeed?” 


MENE TEKEL 


76 


“ Yes, I mean it. Can you not conceive of situ- 
ations which one cannot explain? ” 

“ Such situations are sometimes one's own fault,” 
remarked Erna. 

“ There are situations in which one's — hands are 
bound.” 

Lund had intended to say “one’s tongue,” but he 
remembered in time that he had already talked a little 
too much. It had not been easy for him to remain 
silent till now and to let the girl leave the boat thinking 
that he had told her an untruth, from vanity or what- 
ever other cause. But the mission on which he and 
his friends were engaged was too important to be 
endangered by personal considerations. 

He realised, of course, that it was only a matter of 
a momentary disappointment and misunderstanding. 
Whatever she might think now, when he returned 
home in the late summer he would go to Copenhagen 
at once, and there, in her own home, he could tell her 
the truth and ascertain whether her feeling for him 
was what he hoped it might be. Interested as he was, 
his well-trained mind could easily overlook the situ- 
ation. 

But Erna could not. And her depression made her 
bitter. “ Do you want me to understand that there 
is some complication here — some sort of theatrical 
farce situation? Wouldn’t a single honest word clear 
it all up? Of course I know that in the farces they 
never speak this word till the last act. But you don't 
seem inclined to speak this word at all.” 

Erna was still young enough to have little control 
over her feelings. Her soft eyes grew dim and her 
sweet lips quivered. She looked so exceedingly desir- 
able in her appealing helplessness that Lund resolutely 
put both his hands behind him, clasping them tight. 
It was one way of keeping control over himself. 

But he looked straight into her eyes as he answered 


CONCERNING TWO PEOPLE ONLY 77 

seriously : “ My dear Miss Lengdale, I’m afraid I 

shall have to follow the example of the farce writers. 
I will speak the word of explanation several months 
later — in your home, I hope. Will you receive me 
there ? ” 

“ Do you know our address ? ” 

He smiled. “ I’ve just been asking Knute. I 
knew I should need the information — unless — you 
forbid me to come.” 

“I — I do not forbid you, but it would be better, 
much better, if you would speak now. You need only 
be honest with me and tell me that you made a mis- 
take — ” 

“ You mean I am to confess that I have lied to you, 
that I have boasted to you? No, I will make no such 
confession. I still insist that I have told you the truth 
and nothing but the truth.” 

Erna set her lips tight. “ You insist that you know 
the Professor? ” 

“ I do.” 

“ And that you know Mr. Lund too ? ” 

“ Very decidedly.” 

“ And you know them so well — that you could not 
possibly be mistaken when you saw them ? ” 

“ There is no mistake possible.” 

“ But you were on this boat for several days with 
Professor Clusius and you did not recognise him.” 

“No, I never saw this gentleman before.” 

“ Could it have been his Turkish costume that 
changed him so that you didn’t recognise him ? ” 

“ You are very kind, but I shall not take advantage 
of it. I repeat that I have never seen this Professor 
Clusius before.” 

“ This Professor Clusius?” said Erna with a start. 
“ Do you mean to insinuate that there is a doubt as to 
his identity?” 

“ Spare me the answer to that.” 


78 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Oh, indeed — and is that what you are going to 
tell me in Copenhagen ? ” asked Erna scornfully. Her 
delicate nostrils dilated and her eyes flashed fire. “ In 
that case I will say at once that you had better spare 
yourself the journey. I do not care to listen to 
calumnies and false accusations. I shall not be at 
home to you.” 

Lund stepped back a pace. He was quite pale and 
his eyes widened and flashed. Then a soft smile 
parted his lips. “ She is more wonderful even than 
I dreamed,” he thought, “ for she is strong enough to 
remain true to herself.” 

Erna had risen and stood up very straight. In 
spite of her youthful slenderness she was tall and 
well built. And as she stood now with her head 
thrown back and her fair face pale with indignation, 
she looked more attractive than ever. 

Suddenly her courage failed her. “ Please go now 
— please leave me,” she murmured, and sank into her 
chair. 

Lund raised his arms, then crossed them tightly 
over his breast. The deck around them was empty 
of all life. The sea lay quiet and the noises of the 
ship came dimly through the distance of sunlit space. 
Erna looked out over the waters again with eyes that 
saw nothing. She listened and waited, either for his 
retreating steps or for some words. Finally he began 
to speak in a voice that was deep with emotion. 

“ You despise me now and I must endure it for a 
time. But one can always endure a pain, however 
great, if one knows that in a short time it will vanish. 
For this reason I can endure your contempt now, 
Erna — no, don’t — don’t be angry. I know that you 
think well of me and I admire you all the more for 
the stand you are taking now. I cannot explain, and 
you would not be the woman I think you are, if you 
were not angry with me. Oh, don’t tear your hand- 


CONCERNING TWO PEOPLE ONLY 79 

kerchief — the lace is broken on one end already; Mrs. 
Henning will be sad about it. And don’t say anything 
at all; just let me talk. There is one thing I want 
to say to-day — just to say to you, and I don’t want 
you to answer — not now, at least. Erna, I know 
now that I love you. I might say that I love you out 
of all reason, if there were not so many reasons for 
loving you. I want to let you know this before we 
part. I want you to know that my thoughts will 
follow you while you are wandering about this Eastern 
land among the shades of the past. My thoughts and 
my heart will always be with you, Erna. That is all 
that I have to say now. No, one thing more. We 
shall be in Joppa in a few hours. Will you let me 
be your guide there? I regretted greatly that you 
kept away from me in Alexandria. But let me have 
this one last day with you. For in Beyrout our ways 
part, for a while at least. I fear that while I am 
in Nineveh I shall not be thinking of that old city 
as much as I should ; I shall be thinking of you instead. 
Good-bye now,” his voice changed. “ Here comes 
your friend, Professor — Clusius. I will leave you 
now, and I shall not come to your home unless — ” 
He bowed and turned away as he heard steps im- 
mediately behind him. 

An hour later Erna came upon her father by the 
door of the smoking-room. She was greatly excited, 
her cheeks glowing and her eyes bright. 

“ Papa, won’t you put down that paper and come 
over here on this bench? There’s something I want 
to say to you.” 

“ Why, yes, my pet,” said Mr. Lengdale in his usual 
quiet manner. “ What can I do for you ? ” 

“ Do you want so very much to go to Jerusalem? ” 
“ Do I want to ? Why should I want to ? ” 

“ Then you wouldn’t care if we go somewhere 
else? To Palmyra, for instance, or Babylon?” 


8o 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Go anywhere you want to, my dear child. This 
is your journey. You’re to do anything that pleases 
you.” 

“ Oh, Papa, you’re so kind,” said Erna, nestling up 
to him and patting his cheek with her soft hand. He 
drew her gently to him, pleased at her pleasure; he 
did not understand her particular interest in the 
change, but was willing to do anything to make her 
happy. 

“ And now, Papa, don’t let’s say anything to any- 
body about it,” whispered Erna. “ I shouldn’t like 
Professor Clusius to know we’re going to Nineveh 
and Babylon for his sake.” 

“ Oh, that’s why you want to change our plans,” 
asked Lengdale. “ Well, now, if he were twenty 
years younger I might understand.” 

“ Don’t be a silly old dear,” said Erna quickly. 
She pressed a hasty kiss on his lips, handed him his 
newspaper again and disappeared. She ran down 
into her own cabin, threw herself on a sofa and 
dreamed there with wide-open eyes until she heard 
the bustle and excitement of the ship stopping. Then 
she ran up on deck again and looked out. 

Before them lay the town, framed in gardens, 
climbing over the straggling hills. A fleet of boats 
surrounded the Pandora, their owners gesticulating 
to attract the attention of her passengers. Erna 
stood looking down over the railing with keen en- 
joyment of the characteristic oriental tumult. 

“ There are the mountains of Judea,” said a voice 
behind her. “ You need not be afraid of the landing 
to-day in such calm weather. Ordinarily it is difficult 
and dangerous on account of the shoals and rocks.” 

Erna looked up at the speaker with a smile. “ I 
afraid? On the water? I don’t know what it 
means.” 

“ It’s a notoriously bad spot,” explained Lund. 


CONCERNING TWO PEOPLE ONLY 81 


“ Sometimes they can’t land here at all, and have to 
take the passengers and the freight on to the next 
harbour.” 

“ Well, we’re going to land to-day,” said Erna 
decidedly, but without looking at him. 

A small number of passengers only went on shore 
to visit the city. Among them were Lord Tannemore 
and Mr. Schmidgruber, Erna and Lund. They did 
not return until nearly evening. 

Lord Tannemore had various purchases to make, 
and the little Austrian, with whom he had struck up 
quite a friendship, accompanied him. Erna and 
Lund went through the city, studying all the points 
of interest. Lund made an excellent courier, telling 
her much of the interesting history of the ancient 
town, of the old Hellenic myths connected with it 
and of the Biblical events in which it had played so 
important a part. 

Side by side they climbed up through the steep 
narrow streets, visited the old cemeteries, took lunch 
at the hotel, then went across to the native inn and 
fed the camels waiting there. When they were tired 
of walking they went in to the famous orange grove 
of the German Consulate and rested there from their 
exertions. 

Lund spoke no single word of love throughout the 
long day. He remained only the careful guide and 
polite friend. They chattered easily with no em- 
barrassment, and yet there lay between them and about 
them an indefinable atmosphere of unspoken happi- 
ness. 

When they came back to the Pandora their manner 
towards one another was so calm and indifferent that 
Mrs. Henning, waiting at the gangway, thought to 
herself: “I wonder what’s the matter now? If it 
was me, I should be quite in love with that young 
man.” 


CHAPTER IX 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 

There were still some miles of sea to travel before 
the harbour of Bey rout was reached. But most of 
the passengers of the Pandora were busy at their 
preparations for leaving their floating home. 

Schmidgruber strolled up and down the deck, look- 
ing round him with interest at the busy stewards and 
the general bustle of the last hours on board. Now 
and then he would fall into thought as if pondering 
some problem. During such moments the genial smile 
faded from his face and his grey eyes grew keen 
under their heavy brows. In one of his fits of ab- 
straction he turned suddenly and found himself face 
to face with Sleiding. 

“ Nearly there,” remarked the Australian in Ger- 
man, a language which he spoke 'with more fluency 
than accuracy. “ Too bad he’s going to leave us.” 

“Who?” asked the little man absently. 

“Why, the famous Professor,” replied Sleiding. 
“ Aren’t you sorry ? ” 

“Of course. I should like to see more of him.” 

“ Are you, too, trying to profit by his genius ? ” 

Schmidgruber shook his head. “ His genius ? 
No, not exactly; there’s something else of his that 
interests me more.” 

“ What is it then? ” 

“It isn’t easy to talk about — with every one. If 
you really want to know, the man’s a mystery to me 
— a riddle that I am very anxious to decipher.” 

“A riddle? Why?” 


82 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 83 

“ Because if I can read this riddle aright, it will 
help me in the working out of a new theory.” 

“A new theory?” asked Sleiding eagerly. “ Man 
alive! Why didn’t you say so before? The idea of 
keeping such a thing from me till this last minute. 
Don’t you know how interested I am in new ideas? 
Don’t you know that I buy them and pay well for 
them? ” 

“ No, you’ve never said anything to me about it.” 
. “ I don’t believe I have,” admitted Sleiding. He 

remembered that he had not thought this simple- 
looking little man capable of any new ideas, but now 
that he took another look he noted a highly intelligent 
face and the eyes of a man who can see visions. 
“Just shows,” he thought to himself, “how little you 
can tell by a man’s superficial appearance.” 

“ Is your idea a useful one? ” he asked aloud. 

“ It’s very useful to me.” 

“ I mean in general.” 

“If my theory is correct it will be exceedingly use- 
ful to the whole world,” replied Schmidgruber, in a 
tone of deep conviction. 

“And what’s it about?” said Sleiding, drawing 
out his note-book. 

“ It’s about hands — about the expression of the 
hands, their shape — ” Sleiding put his right hand 
behind his back — “ and their movements. I believe 
it’s possible to tell a man’s whole character from the 
look of his hand.” 

Sleiding sunk his left hand into his pocket. The 
movement may have been involuntary, or he may 
have been not altogether willing to have this little man 
learn anything, as he thought he could, of his true 
character. His face changed for the moment, and 
he shot a quick glance at the harmless-looking figure 
before him. 

“ To understand a man’s whole character,” he re^ 


8 4 


MENE TEKEL 


peated thoughtfully. Then he looked up with a sud- 
den decision. “ Have you plenty of time? ” he asked. 

Schmidgruber smiled genially. “ Certainly,” he 
answered; “ if you want me to talk about hands I’ve 
any amount of time.” 

“ Six weeks ? ” 

“ Six weeks ! ” queried Schmidgruber astonished. 
“ Do you want me to talk about hands to you for 
six weeks ? ” 

“ Not altogether, but we can talk about that too. 

I have a proposition to make to you.” 

“And what is it?” 

“ Are you master of your own time for the next 
six weeks or longer? ” 

“ I am.” 

“Then you’re travelling for pleasure, as I am?” 

“ Yes. And you mean that it will be double 
pleasure if we join forces?” 

“ That was my idea.” 

“ And then?” 

“ You said just now that you were interested in 
Clusius, this celebrated and highly gifted man. 
You’re interested in his present enterprise? ” 

“I am. You mean that — ?” 

“ I mean that we follow him, or join him if 
necessary; that will be better still. We should both 
gain by it. You would have plenty of opportunity to 
study his hands — to elaborate your theory further 
or else correct it.”. 

“ Quite right — quite right. It would be a good 
plan.” Schmidgruber was evidently pleased with the 
suggestion. 

“ I’m usually right,” said Sleiding. “ This trip 
would mean a good deal for you, then, and it would 
help me a lot too. Professor Clusius has any number 
of new ideas. He has told me something of his 
plans, and they seem adventurous, to say the least. 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 85 

He claims to have invented something never heard of 
before, a way to discover things hidden from the sight 
of every one else. Now, between ourselves, there is 
a self-complacency — to put it mildly — about his 
manner. I should' like to be there when he makes 
his discovery — or doesn’t; and I imagine that it 
would interest you too.” 

“ It would — it would,” assented Schmidgruber 
eagerly. 

Sleiding continued, first looking about to make sure 
they were not overheard: “Either this Professor 
Clusius is a genius, or he is a scientific swindler. Now, 
whichever he is, he can be of use to me. On the 
whole, I should prefer the latter. It would make a 
first-class detective story.” 

“ Is that why you want to follow him ? ” asked 
Schmidgruber, with another one of his quick, keen 
glances. “ Well, as you say, it might be interesting, 
from any point of view, to continue one’s study of the 
man.” 

“ Suppose we follow him then,” urged Sleiding; 
“ to Nineveh, Babylon and Palmyra, or any other 
place? We shan’t lose anything by going with him.” 

“ I’m willing,” said the Austrian ; “ but how about 
the Professor? Didn’t he tell us he had tried to dis- 
guise himself and taken another name so as to be left 
alone? ” 

“ H’m,” grunted Sleiding, “if he had really meant 
that he would not have talked so much, or kept him- 
self so much in evidence after the discovery.” 

“ Yes, you’re quite right,” agreed Schmidgruber, 
smiling openly. 

“ He would not have been so careful to let the 
whole ship know his opinion of Tannemore and his 
assistant.” 

“ It was rather peculiar, that, wasn’t it? ” remarked 
Schmidgruber. “ Hardly worthy of a 4 great ’ man.” 


86 


MENE TEKEL 


For a moment the eyes of the two men met with 
a glance that was a question. Then Sleiding laughed, 
and looked away. “ My dear sir,” he said, “ it’s 
been my experience that these great men are not 
always so great as one would expect. We may be 
quite sure Clusius is not so anxious to hide his des- 
tination as he would have you think.” 

“ You think that we shall be able to follow him 
into Mesopotamia? ” 

“ Why not ? He does not own the roads, does he ? 
Plenty of other people make that trip across the desert 
now.” 

“ He may try to throw us off his track.” 

“ I doubt it. But even if he does, it’ll do him no 
good.” 

During the last few minutes they had been so 
absorbed that they had not noticed Tannemore 
standing behind them. Unwillingly he had overheard 
the last few sentences. 

“ They’re quite harmless,” he thought. “ They 
won’t be in our way even if they do come with us.” 
As Sleiding turned away Tannemore exchanged a few 
words with Schmidgruber and passed down into his 
cabin. 

Sleiding, walking down the deck, was saying to 
himself : “ Didn’t take him long to agree. He may 

be useful to me. Seems an intelligent little chap.” 

The passengers on the Pandora, knowing that Pro- 
fessor Clusius was to leave them at Beyrout, gathered 
around him, asking for an autograph or a special word 
of farewell. He honoured the Englishman, Mr. 
Smithson, with a few words alone as they walked up 
and down the deck. Smithson seemed quite flattered 
by this distinction, and bowed himself off, when it 
was over, with an air of great pleasure. No one had 
overheard their conversation, and an autograph, flour- 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 87 

ished by Smithson in triumph, gave apparent excuse 
for the colloquy. 

The great scientist remained on deck while Smith- 
son went below to his cabin, to reach which he had 
to pass the rooms occupied by the real Clusius and his 
friends. In front of one of them something white, 
gleaming on the floor of the dark corridor, attracted 
his attention. 

Smithson bent down and picked it up. It was an 
envelope, unsealed, its contents a few sheets of thin 
paper. Unconsciously Smithson looked at the door 
in front of which he stood. It was Room No. 7, and 
the card on the door bore the name Lord Henry 
Lomond. 

Smithson looked at the name, and then at the 
envelope, which had undoubtedly been dropped by 
Lord Lomond or some one visiting his cabin, but as 
the envelope bore no name and was not sealed, it was 
an easy matter, and one that did not oppress Smith- 
son’s conscience in the least, to raise the flap and take 
out the contents. 

In the envelope were three or four photographs, 
silhouettes with faint outlines and shadings. They 
were the photographs of a young girl, a young man 
and two women, one middle-aged, the other very old. 
The two older women and the young man were 
strangers to Smithson, but the picture of the young 
lady bore such a resemblance to Miss Erna Lengdale, 
the pretty Danish girl, the centre of attraction on 
board the Pandora, that he had no doubt it was in- 
tended for her. Smithson may have been a rascal, but 
he had decency and insight, and did not think for a 
moment Miss Lengdale had ever visited Lord Lo- 
mond’s cabin. And yet the envelope must belong to 
her; she had dropped it, going through the corridor, 
most likely. It had little interest for him; the best 
thing to do was to return it immediately. 


88 


MENE TEKEE 


He went back to the saloon and looked in ; the lady 
he sought was there, writing a letter. She looked up 
when she heard him approaching, and seemed disap- 
pointed. But the man was evidently about to speak 
to her, and her natural politeness could not refuse 
him a passing word, though her thoughts were not 
with him and her bow was very formal. 

“ I beg your pardon for disturbing you, Miss Leng- 
dale,” said Smithson. “ I found this envelope, con- 
taining some photographs, in the corridor, and I 
think it must be yours.” 

She took the envelope mechanically. 

“ Why, what’s this ? ” she asked, looking down at 
the white paper. 

“ The photographs you lost,” replied Smithson. 

“ Why I — I haven’t lost any photographs ; at least 
I don’t think so.” 

“ But one of them is your picture.” 

“ My picture?” Erna looked greatly astonished. 
“ Oh,” she said, “ there was a photographer came 
on board at Alexandria; do you think he could 
have — ” 

Erna took the slips of paper out of the envelope 
with more interest. Her own picture lay on top. 
“ Why, how interesting,” she said ; “ like a silhouette, 
isn’t it ? ” Then suddenly she started, looked at the 
picture more sharply and involuntarily put her hand 
to her hair. “ Why,” she exclaimed ; “ I haven’t worn 
my hair like that on board! I haven’t worn it that 
way for a year.” 

“ That’s queer,” said Smithson. And his astonish- 
ment increased as he watched her. She had laid 
aside her own picture, and was now staring at the 
next, her eyes widened in a surprise that was almost 
like fright. 

“ It’s Axel, Axel,” she exclaimed; “ Axel Altborg! 
Why, Axel is in Iceland now — has been there for a 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 89 

year. And here he’s in uniform. He hasn’t worn 
uniform for months.” 

She raised her pale face to the man who stood 
beside her as if asking for explanations, but he was 
as astonished as she, and as helpless. 

“ I can’t explain it to you, Miss Lengdale,” he said. 
“ Are you quite sure you didn’t bring these pictures 
with you ? Or that your father might not have 
brought them ? ” 

“ Quite sure,” murmured Erna, “ neither Axel — 
he is my cousin — nor I have ever had pictures taken 
of this kind. I can’t understand it.” 

“ There are two more,” said Smithson. 

Mechanically, still bewildered, Erna raised her 
cousin’s picture and laid it aside. When she beheld 
the next, she sank back into her chair, and grasped 
the man’s arm convulsively. 

“ Why, what’s the matter ? What is the matter, 
Miss Lengdale ? ” he cried, in alarm. “ Are you ill ? 
Shall I fetch you some water?” 

“ No, no, stay with me, stay,” gasped Erna. 
“ Look at this. This is a picture of my grandmother, 
who was never photographed in her life, and who is 
now dead; and the other, the other is my aunt, who 
is also dead.” 

“Are you sure?” stammered Smithson, catching 
the infection of her excitement. 

“Quite sure. I might have some doubt — just in 
those profile pictures — about my aunt. But my 
grandmother had very striking features, and a peculiar 
way of arranging her hair and her cap. There is no 
mistake possible. What does it mean? What has 
happened ? ” 

Smithson was conscious of a shiver himself. There 
was some mystery here not to be explained in ordi- 
nary terms. He pulled himself together, however, 
hiding his fear under very real surprise. 


90 


MENE TEKEL 


“ It is peculiar, most peculiar. Why, it’s a miracle. 
And who works miracles nowadays ? ” 

Erna looked up at him as he' said the word and 
withdrew her hand from his arm. A little colour 
came back into her cheeks, and she smiled. 

“ Oh, why didn’t I think of it?” she exclaimed 
happily. “Of course it is. he, the only man who can 
work miracles to-day, the great Professor Clusius. 
He’s been so nice to me, and I spoke to him about my 
grandmother and my aunt. I was so fond of them. 
And he’s done this — somehow, I don’t know how — 
to please me.” 

“ Did you speak of this nice-looking young man 
too?” asked Smithson, now smiling himself. 

Erna’s smile faded. She was quite conscious that 
she had not mentioned her cousin’s name the entire 
trip. She was also quite conscious of the fact that 
she had not thought of the young man for ever so 
long. It was only a passing flirtation anyway, and as 
far as she was concerned the incident was closed. 

“ Oh, father may have said something about him,” 
she continued. “ Anyway, doesn’t it show how 
wonderful the Professor is? I must find papa at 
once and show him these. Thank you for bringing 
them to me.” 

With a pretty little nod she rose from her chair and 
ran out of the saloon. 

Smithson stood looking after her in the grip of a 
feeling which he could not analyse at first. He saw 
no reason to doubt the truth of her statement about 
the pictures, and her excitement and bewilderment 
had been very real. It was true, then, that her own 
photograph had been somehow taken on board the 
boat, in a coiffure which she had not worn for a year 
past — a photograph had been taken of a young man 
who was many hundreds of miles away, photographs 
taken of two women who were both dead, one of 


THE MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS 91 


whom had never been photographed during her life- 
time. 

Either there was some trickery here, or it was in- 
deed a miracle of science, inexplicable except to the 
initiate. Erna’s solution of the problem meant noth- 
ing to Smithson. He knew very well that the man 
feted on board the Pandora as Professor Clusius was 
incapable of such a tour de force. If any one could 
have done it, it would have been the real Clusius 
himself. 

Here Smithson’s thoughts stood still, his blood 
rushed from brain back to heart again with a violence 
that turned him sick and giddy. He sank into a chair, 
and struggled to regain composure. With pale lips 
he murmured : “ Then the real Clusius is on board.” 


CHAPTER X 

AN INTERVIEW AND WHAT FOLLOWED 

“ The real Professor Clusius on board ! ” There 
was no other explanation of the mystery of the photo- 
graphs. 

The thought was anything but pleasant for Smith- 
son, but the more he pondered it the more likely it 
seemed. Word had been given out that the real 
Clusius was to journey overland to Constantinople 
and take ship from that point to Beyrout. But what 
was more natural than that the noted scientist should 
have spread abroad a purposely false report as to the 
route chosen, that he might remain undisturbed. And 
it was equally natural that he should not have made 
himself known on the boat, even during the comedy 
of the ovation. 

Smithson’s teeth chattered. Should the real Clu- 
sius demand an accounting for this ovation, Smith- 
son’s own part in it could not be overlooked. He had 
come on board to see that the coast was clear for the 
impersonator, to ascertain whether there were any 
among the passengers who knew the real Clusius by 
sight even. It was humiliating to think that he should 
have been so easily duped, but this was the least of 
his troubles. He was under orders from the man 
he most hated and feared — he was in that man’s pay 
for services which he had not performed satisfactorily. 
He knew James Redfowles well, and he knew what he 
had to expect when Redfowles discovered how remiss 
he had been. His employer was in Beyrout awaiting 
the arrival of the Pandora. He would recognise the 
92 


AN INTERVIEW 


93 


real Clusms at once and the very least that would 
happen would be a flat refusal to pay Smithson more 
than his expenses. 

“ He shall pay me, the damned rascal — he shall 
pay me for all my time, and for every word I have 
said on board this boat. And if Redfowles won’t 
pay me, then — by Jove, that is an idea! If the real 
Clusius is on board he ought to be interested in what 
I know ; — interested enough to pay me well for the 
information.” 

Smithson tore at a bunch of papers in his pocket 
and pulled out a creased and worn passenger list. He 
ran his finger down the row of names until it halted 
suddenly. “ Lord Henry Lomond,” the only English- 
man on board beside himself and Bridgeport. Who 
was Lord Lomond? He travelled in company with 
a good-looking young Norwegian who called himself 
Swendborg, and with a quiet elderly gentleman, a Mr. 
Digby, who kept much to his stateroom. Lord 
Lomond — the globe-trotting sportsman? 

“ Oh, Lord, what an ass I’ve been,” groaned Smith- 
son. “ Serves them right for not telling me more 
about the matter, and sending me off on such a wild 
goose chase. Thought they knew it all, didn’t they? 
We’ll see this Englishman at once.” 

Smithson rose and slammed his cabin door behind 
him. He hurried down the corridor to the door in 
front of which he had found the envelope not half an 
hour ago. He stopped, thought the matter over, 
then set his teeth hard and knocked. 

“ Come in,” said a voice inside. 

Smithson entered and found Lord Lomond alone, 
packing his valise. 

“ Looks as if he wasn’t accustomed to doing it 
himself. Wonder why he didn’t bring his man 
along?” thought Smithson. Aloud he said: “May 
I have a few words with you ? ” 


94 


MENE TEKEL 


“If you don’t mind my going on with this bother- 
some business of packing,” said Tannemore. 

“ It is a nuisance, isn’t it ? — especially when one 
isn’t accustomed to doing it for one’s self. You must 
find it annoying to travel without your valet.” 

“ I should think that was my business,” replied 
Tannemore shortly. 

“ Surely — surely,” said Smithson suavely. “ But 
I can imagine there may be times when it’s more con- 
venient not to bring a man along; those fellows are 
so indiscreet. That’s not the point, however, Lord 
Lomond. I came to talk to you about the — passen- 
ger list.” 

“ Indeed ? ” Lord Lomond dropped a white cravat 
on top of a blue silk sock and put both hands in his 
pockets. The movement might have been caused by 
a sudden recollection of Mr. Schmidgruber’s theories 
as to hands. Tannemore knew that he had his face 
well under control. 

“Indeed?” he repeated, with polite indifference. 

“Yes — our passenger list — how very incorrect 
these passenger lists are sometimes.” 

“ May I ask what you mean ? ” 

Smithson looked down at his own hands. “ What 
I mean ? I can tell you that now — or several days 
later — or several weeks later, just as you like.” 

Tannemore retained his air of polite indifference, 
but he was becoming quite interested. This man had 
evidently something to say. He motioned him to a 
seat and sat down himself. 

“ Do you want me to tell you anything about our 
passenger list ? ” 

“ Possibly. And I may possibly be able to impart 
some information to you.” 

“ You are too mysterious for me, Mr. ? ” 

“ Smithson.” 


AN INTERVIEW 


95 


“ Mr. Smithson. If you have anything to say to 
me, suppose you say it clearly, and in as few words 
as possible.” 

There was silence in the cabin for a few moments. 
Tannemore looked at his visitor, who could not make 
up his mind to begin. Finally Tannemore said: 
“We drop anchor in about an hour. If it is your 
intention to sit here and say nothing, possibly you 
will permit me to go about my own business.” 

“We can settle our business in ten minutes if you 
wish,” replied Smithson. 

“ It will suit me very well.” 

“ Will you answer a question for me? ” 

Tannemore nodded conditionally. 

“ Lord Lomond, would you give me your opinion 
of the Professor Clusius who is so much feted on 
board?” 

Tannemore looked his visitor straight in the eyes 
and answered, with a slow drawl : “ My opinion of 

this gentleman is a private matter of my own.” 

“ Which you will not tell me ? ” 

“ Which I do not care to discuss with a total 
stranger.” 

“ Very well then, and what is your opinion of this? ” 
queried Smithson, and he held out a photograph of 
Erna’s aunt. There had been two copies of this picture 
in the envelope and Smithson had kept one for him- 
self before returning it to the girl. 

Tannemore glanced at the picture and recognised it 
as one of those thrown on the fan. He realised, with 
inward amusement, that Lund must have copied the 
pictures for himself. But his face remained passive 
and quite indifferent as he answered : “ It appears to 

be a silhouette of a middle-aged lady — with whom I 
do not happen to be acquainted.” 

Smithson rose. “ Then you have nothing to tell 


96 


MENE TEKEL 


me about this either, Lord Lomond? In that case I 
beg your pardon for disturbing you. We have noth- 
ing more to say to one another.” 

He had his hand on the door-knob when Tannemore 
remarked : “ Don’t go yet.” 

“ What is it ? ” asked Smithson, suppressing a smile 
of triumph. 

44 Suppose you tell me your opinion of this picture.” 

Smithson put down his hat and took out the photo- 
graph again. “ I find it extremely interesting. Not 
so much because of the subject as because of the man 
who must have made it — Professor Clusius — the 
real Professor Clusius.” 

44 And why do you think Clusius — the real Clusius 
— took this picture?” asked Tannemore, looking at 
his visitor sharply. 

“ That is quite unimportant to the matter in hand.” 

44 Why do you emphasise 4 the real Clusius ’ ? ” 

Smithson smiled. “ Because I have reason to 
believe that there are two Professor Clusius’ journey- 
ing to the East, one of whom alone can be the real 
one — and he who made this picture.” 

44 And the other ? ” 

44 The other is an impostor.” 

44 Of course,” remarked Tannemore. 

44 An impostor — with evil intentions,” continued 
Smithson, in a lower tone. 

44 Of course,” repeated Tannemore. 

44 With carefully planned evil intentions,” said 
Smithson. And Tannemore repeated mechanically: 
44 Of course;” adding, as he sat down on the sofa 
again : 44 And now please be more explicit, Mr. 

Smithson.” 

Smithson sat down, leaning back in his chair and 
crossing his legs. He felt that he was master of the 
situation now. 

44 What is it you want me to say ? ” he asked. 


AN INTERVIEW 


97 

“ I want you to say whatever it was you came here 
to say/’ answered Tannemore sharply. 

“ Still — after all, why should I betray a man who 
has no intention of harming me?” said Smithson in 
a tone of meditation. 

Tannemore understood. “ Suppose you come to 
business at once.” 

“ Are you really interested ? ” asked Smithson in- 
nocently. 

“ Yes.” 

“ And why?” 

“ Because I happen to be a personal friend of the 
real Professor Clusius.” 

“ And therefore you would like to know something 
more about the — the false Professor Clusius? I 
think I could tell you something about him — some- 
thing quite interesting.” 

“ That will do very nicely.” 

“What do you pay for interesting information?” 

“ That will depend on the information. I’ve never 
had any dealings with spies as yet.” 

“Spies? You are insulting, Lord Lomond.” 

“Oh, indeed? You’re sensitive, then. I beg your 
pardon. What do you wish me to call it — this serv- 
ice of yours? ” 

“ Call it a business favor ; that sounds better.” 

“ Very well. At what do you value this business 
favor ? ” 

Smithson sat in thought a moment, then he said 
slowly : “ About five hundred pounds.” 

Tannemore paused before answering. “ And sup- 
pose I discover your information to be utterly worth- 
less to me ? ” 

“ Why, then, my lord, you are a man of honour — 
if you discover my information to be worthless to 
you, you needn’t pay me more than one hundred 
pounds,” 


9 8 


MENE TEICEL 


Tannemore smiled openly, amused at the man’s 
impertinence. “ Very well, we’ll call it a bargain. 
And what is your information? ” 

“ It concerns the real name of the false Professor 
Clusius, and his plans for the immediate future.” 

“ I am listening ; say what you have to say.” 

“ I overheard, by chance — ” 

Tannemore’s lip curled scornfully but he said 
nothing. 

“ — by chance, a conversation between Mr. William 
Bridgeport, the archaeologist — do you happen to 
know him ? ” 

“ I had never met him personally — before this 
voyage.” 

“ Oh, I see — well, the other party to the conver- 
sation was a man by the name of Redfowles, James 
Redfowles. Does your lordship happen to know this 
Redfowles? ” 

“ Go on with your story.” 

“ I have known Redfowles for some time, known him 
well. From the conversation between these two men 
I gathered that Bridgeport was to undertake his jour- 
ney under the name of Professor Clusius. Redfowles 
was to await him in Beyrout. After landing, Bridge- 
port is planning to join the real Professor Clusius, 
who is expected in Beyrout within a day or two. 
Bridgeport is to watch any experiments the Professor 
may make on his Eastern journey, to learn if possible 
the secret of the new invention. The object of this, 
of course, is that Bridgeport and Redfowles may 
utilise what they have learned for their own benefit. 
You have seen part of the programme carried out 
already.” 

Smithson paused and Tannemore inquired, “ And 
is that all ? ” 

“ You’re disappointed?” 

“ Why, yes. With the exception of a few unim- 


AN INTERVIEW 


99 


portant details, I was already in possession of the 
facts you give me. Besides, all the passengers on the 
Pandora know the plans of this Professor Clusius in 
’his Eastern trip. But, of course, most of the pas- 
sengers do not know, what a few of us do know, that 
this Professor Clusius is an impostor. ,, 

“ Oh, indeed, you knew that already, did you? 
Lord Tan — Lord Lomond? Well, then I see that 
my information is valueless to you, and one hundred 
pounds will be all I get/’ He held out his hand, but 
Tannemore did not notice it. 

“ I think you can earn a little more,” he said. 

“ Yes, I can,” remarked Smithson decidedly. “ You 
owe me a hundred pounds for what I’ve said already. 
You are aware now that I know Bridgeport and Red- 
fowles, that I overheard their consultation and am 
in possession of their plans. I have kept back the 
most important part for the bigger payment.” 

“ You’re a clever business man,” remarked Tanne- 
more. “ What is your price for the rest of the infor- 
mation ? ” 

“ The five hundred pounds agreed upon will do, 
my lord. — With the one hundred extra for the 
introduction, you understand.” 

“ Then for six hundred pounds altogether you will 
tell me everything you know about this matter ? ” 

“ Everything.” 

“ Very well, you shall have the money. Now 
begin.” 

“ Redfowles and Bridgeport, when they have ob- 
tained possession of the secret of the Professor’s new 
discovery, are planning to kill yourself, Lord Tanne- 
more, Professor Clusius — the real Clusius, who is 
down in the passenger list as Mr. Digby — and his 
assistant, Mr. Lund.” 

“ Indeed!” 

“ They are secure from any immediate search for 


IOO 


MENE TEKEL 


the Professor in Mesopotamia because the famous 
man will be seen and heard from at various points 
in the East and on his return to Europe. Also his 
two companions will be heard from until their traces 
are lost somewhere in Europe. Then Bridgeport and 
Redfowles will return to England, in their own per- 
sons, and in possession of the Professor’s discovery 
— they believe that it is something of great value — 
where they intend to give it out as their own and gain 
fame and money from it.” 

Smithson was telling something he partly knew and 
partly guessed from scraps of conversation he had 
heard. That what he said was the actual truth he 
was not quite sure himself. But he did not let Tanne- 
more see this, of course. 

When his story was done Tannemore sat thinking 
it over, conscious of a feeling of admiration for the 
inventiveness and the courage of the two rascals. 
Finally he said quite indifferently: 

“ How are they going to kill us?” 

“ Sorry to say I don’t know the details of that.” 

“ Have you anything else to tell me ? ” 

Smithson reflected a moment, wishing there were 
something by which he could raise his price. But he 
could think of nothing, so he shrugged his shoulders 
and replied : “No, that is all.” 

Tannemore took a wallet from his pocket and laid 
six crisp English banknotes on the table. “ Here is 
your money, and now — I bid you good-day.” He 
turned to his valise and re-commenced his packing. 

But when his visitor had left the cabin and disap- 
peared round the corner of the corridor, Tannemore 
himself went at once to Clusius. The Professor and 
Lund were busy packing their apparatus. 

“ I don’t want to interrupt,” said Tannemore, “ but 
I come with some rather interesting news.” 

“ You are always welcome, Richard. And what is 


AN INTERVIEW 


IOI 


your news ? ” asked Clusius in his usual gentle manner. 

“ There are plans laid to kill us — somewhere in 
Asia/’ replied Tannemore, stooping to pick up a little 
metal cap that had fallen from the table. 

“ To kill us?” repeated Clusius. “ That is interest- 
ing. Please loosen these screws a bit, Hjalmar.” 

“ Somewhere in Asia ? ” asked Lund. “ They’re 
both loose now, sir.” 

“We have to loosen these steel spools from the 
bars,” continued the Professor, laying his delicate 
hand on the rolls that held the long strip of paper. 
He and Lund gently removed the screw that held the 
rolls, while the Professor added : “ And now tell us 

all about it, Richard.” 

Tannemore told his story in a few words. 

“Well, let us discuss this rationally and in good 
order,” said Clusius. “ The first question is, Shall we 
give up the undertaking or not? I put the question 
for the sake of argument merely. I say, by all means 
let us go on, let us carry out our experiments, in spite 
of all interruption, in spite of all danger.” 

“ And the next point,” suggested Lund eagerly, “ is 
whether there is any use in keeping up our incognito, 
also whether we had better have Bridgeport and Red- 
fowles arrested in Beyrout.” 

If he did not have to persist in his incognito, he 
could clear himself in Erna Lengdale’s eyes all the 
quicker; no doubt much of Lund’s eagerness was due 
to this fact. 

“ That is hardly feasible,” remarked Tannemore. 
“ It’s very hard to get any one arrested in Turkish 
territory; that is, any one in possession of as much 
money as Bridgeport and Redfowles no doubt com- 
mand. And besides, Bridgeport did not start on this 
journey without all necessary papers. We may take 
it for granted their passports are as cleverly done as 
all his other forgeries. It will be as easy for him to 


102 


MENE TEKEL 


prove himself the true Clusius as for the Professor 
here. It may also be quite as easy for him to have 
us arrested, in which case it might be weeks before 
we could get proper assistance from England or 
Sweden. ,, 

“And we should be losing precious time,” put in 
the Professor; “no, no. The longer we leave them 
alone the surer we are of remaining undisturbed.” 

“ I suppose so,” sighed Lund. “We may as well 
let the curious tourists continue to gather about him 
and leave us alone.” 

“ Yes, yes, spare me from them,” implored the Pro- 
fessor. “ We must keep up our incognito, and give 
no apparent attention to Bridgeport and Redfowles.” 

“ Because we have no means of proving their 
criminal intentions,” added Tannemore. 

“ How are we to meet them then ? ” asked Lund. 

“ Very cautiously and quite amiably,” replied the 
Professor. “ It’s to their interest not to harm us 
until they know the results of our experiments. I 
shall talk to you quite freely about them in Bridge- 
port’s presence, if he joins us. No danger threatens 
us until we reach full success. And then — many a 
man who has been marked for death is alive and in 
good health to-day.” 

“ We shan’t be killed ! ” exclaimed Lund brightly, 
thinking of an errand that he planned to do on his 
return to Europe. 

“ No, we shall not die,” said the Professor smiling, 
holding out his hand to. Tannemore. “ The message 
that we send to Lady Evelyn will not be a sad one. 
I myself am trying to do away with the one danger 
that threatens you. As for the danger that threatens 
us all, I think we are quite capable of taking care of 
ourselves.” 

“ How kind you are — to think of others in this 
moment,” sighed Tannemore. He himself realised 


AN INTERVIEW 


103 


how often he had neglected his wife in his devotion 
to science. 

“ There is something else too,’’ continued Clusius. 
“ If we do not return safely, the world of science will 
lose the benefit of our work. That is, it will not be 
quite lost, because Bridgeport and Redfowles will try 
to utilise it. Bridgeport is a scientist, and I shall let 
him see enough of what we are doing to gain a clear 
idea of the principles of the thing. But while he is a 
scholar, we know that he is not honest. How do we 
know that he will make a proper use of what he has 
learned? How do we know he won’t use the stolen 
knowledge for evil ends? No, friends, we must not 
die on this journey/’ 

“But if we let them see what we are doing?” 
questioned Tannemore timidly, and Lund exclaimed, 
“ Yes, they will use their knowledge wrongly. How 
can we prevent it? We don’t want to kill them.” 

There was silence in the cabin for some few minutes. 
Clusius looked out through the porthole to the open 
sea, shielding his eyes from the lowering sun. The 
lower part of his face was in the full light. His 
friends watching and waiting, saw his features 
change, the delicate lips press closely together, then 
part as if he breathed with difficulty; they could 
hear his teeth clench. 

Finally he let fall his hand, and his friends read in 
his eyes an expression of firm determination, darkened 
only by sadness; hardly seeing, they wandered about 
the cabin until they rested on Lund’s face. The Pro- 
fessor smiled. 

“No, my dear Hjalmar; don’t be afraid those two 
will make bad use of our experiments. They won’t. 
You may safely leave it to me.” His kind, intelligent 
face grew hard as stone; the glance in his eyes was 
like a threat. But a moment later he smiled brightly 
and exclaimed: “Now, what are you doing, Hjal- 


104 


MENE TEKEL 


mar? Those screws belong in box C. And now we 
must, of course, once we have landed, take every 
possible care to insure our personal safety. We will 
engage an armed escort for our trip through the desert, 
and anything else that may be necessary.” 

“ And I will telegraph my cousin, who is chief of 
police in London, to send Secret Service men to our 
aid,” said Tannemore. “ They can come with all 
necessary warrants for possible use, and they ought 
to join us in two weeks.” 

“ Then we’ll start without further delay ? ” said 
Lund. “ We had better let these two rascals think we 
know nothing of their plans. Besides which, we are 
three and they are only two, and the secret service 
men are coming to reinforce us. The situation may 
appear dangerous, but it’s really rather absurd.” 

“ Let us call it absurdly serious,” remarked Tanne- 
more. 

The Professor shook his head. “ There is no use 
in your telegraphing to London, Richard ; the message 
will never reach its destination.” 

“And why not?” 

“ Redfowles will recognise us when we land. And 
he will tell Bridgeport who we are. They will nat- 
urally watch us closely, and be sure to intercept any 
message to the outer world.” 

“ Then I will have somebody else send the mes- 
sage.” 

“ They will know where it comes from — and they 
will read it.” 

“ We can bribe the telegraph operator.” 

“Yes, that is easy in Turkey — but the man who 
will take a bribe from one person will take a larger 
one from another.” 

“ Very true,” said Tannemore. “ I will spare the 
money then, and telegraph in some Malayan tongue. 


AN INTERVIEW 


105 

Edward’s valet is a Lascar. He can translate the 
message.” 

“ Dear Richard, I hate to seem to oppose you, but 
you ought to know that there are men of every nation 
passing through Beyrout constantly. Redfowles need 
only take the paper with the message down to the 
docks and ask the next best Lascar sailor he meets, 
to interpret it for him.” 

“ You are delightfully clever in combining pos- 
sibilities,” said Tannemore, laughing. " But I’ll man- 
age to send that telegram somehow, and I think I 
know how. Why otherwise should we three have 
our knowledge of chemistry — except to serve us in 
an emergency? There are inks which fade an hour 
after writing, as you know — and there are other 
inks which are invisible when written and which gain 
colour some time later.” 

“ Excellent,” said Lund ; “ that’s the way.” 

“ Yes, that will go,” said the Professor. 

“ It’s a crook’s trick,” said Tannemore, “ but when 
you’re dealing with crooks you must adopt their 
methods.” 

“ Where are the new men to meet us when they 
come ? ” asked Lund. 

“ I’ve laid out the route day by day,” replied Tanne- 
more. “ Barring accidents I know exactly where we 
ought to be at a given time. Good gracious, what’s 
all this ? ” he added in astonishment, looking down at 
a mountain of paper piling itself up in front of him. 

“ That’s the paper off the rolls,” laughed the Pro- 
fessor. “ Let’s get it out of the window, Hjalmar.” 

Lund turned the crank busily to free the last of 
the paper from the roll, while the Professor started 
the first portion on its journey out of the window. 
Suddenly Lund’s hands halted in their movements 
and he looked down at the paper. He saw the out- 


io6 


MENE TEKEL 


lines of Erna’s head, then the other head bending 
over her’s — and then — the kiss. He laughed, and 
tore off the paper that showed the kiss, putting it 
carefully away in his pocket. “ I’ll show her that 
when I call in Copenhagen,” he thought. 


CHAPTER XI 


IN BEYROUT 

The turmoil of an oriental harbour surrounded the 
Pandora. Busy officials climbed up and down the 
gangways, and a fleet of little boats, rowed by noisy 
Arabs, swarmed about her tall sides. 

A special uproar of cries and laughter attracted the 
attention of passengers and sailors on the steamer’s 
seaward quarter. They looked down and saw boat- 
men cutting their way through the convolutions of a 
seemingly endless strip of paper. Yards and yards 
of it floated on the surface of the water, rising and 
falling like some monster of the deep. There was a 
general rush to the side of the boat, and much merry 
conjecturing as to the nature of the obstacle. Our 
three friends laughed with the rest of the passengers, 
and smiled at each other meaningly, but took no part 
in the discussion. Suddenly Lund put his hand to 
his pocket, turned pale and dashed down the com- 
panionway. He realised that he had lost the envelope 
containing the four photographs. 

It was not to be found in his cabin or anywhere 
else, and he had to return to the deck, greatly de- 
pressed. On his way up he overtook Erna. She 
looked prettier than ever in a pale grey gown with a 
soft grey veil hovering like a halo around her fair 
face. She was smiling and happy, and Lund felt a 
pang of unreasoning jealousy. The hour of parting 
had come and she was taking it with most unflattering 
calm. In fact she seemed to think of nothing but the 
107 


io8 


MENE TEKEL 


delight of landing in a new and interesting country. 
Lund felt it wasn’t fair to him. 

All gracious self-possession, the girl held out her 
hand. — “ Oh, Mr. Swendborg, I’m so glad of this 

chance to tell you how much your instructive talks 
have added to the pleasure of my voyage,” she 
said. 

“ And that’s all you have to say? Now that we are 
to part?” asked Lund, speaking low, looking into her 
eyes. “ Is that all you are thinking of?” She 
coloured deeply, but her pretty lips curved in a roguish 
smile. “ Oh, no, I’m thinking of a great many other 
things. I’m thinking of the wonderful desert, and the 
camel-riding, and the date palms, and Nineveh — oh, 
there are ever so many other things. But there’s 
papa waiting for me. Good-bye — for a while.” She 
fled fleet-footed up the stairway, her silvery laugh 
ringing like low music. Mrs. Henning followed, after 
a demure farewell to Lund. 

The young man’s depression grew. He did not 
understand her behaviour, and it hurt him deeply. 
He went up on deck and joined his friends in gloomy 
silence. 

The first passenger to leave the Pandora was Smith- 
son. No one noticed his departure, for most of the 
others were grouped expectantly about the deck, wait- 
ing for a last look at the celebrated scientist who had 
been their fellow voyager. He came walking majestic- 
ally through the space left open for him. As he 
neared the gangway Erna Lengdale stepped in front 
of him. 

“ Oh, Professor, how can I ever thank you for this 
evidence of your genius, and your kindness to me ! ” 
she exclaimed, gazing up at him, her soft hazel eyes 
filled with admiration and awe. She held a small 
white envelope in one hand. 

The pseudo-Professor, quite at sea as to her mean- 


IN BEYROUT 


109 


ing, kept his dignity with difficulty. “ My dear young 
lady,” he began slowly, sparring for time. 

The passengers drew nearer to hear what was go- 
ing on. 

“ Papa, Papa, come here,” cried Erna ; “ I couldn’t 
find you an hour ago to show you these things. But 
it’s all the better this way; now you can thank him 
with me. Just look at these pictures ! He must have 
known how they would please me. I don’t know how 
he ever did it, but just look at them, look! ” 

Mr. Lengdale looked down at the pictures in his 
daughter’s outstretched hands, and the expression of 
dazed astonishment that came over his face fixed the 
bystanders’ attention on him. This was fortunate for 
the “ great man ” who was the cause of all the excite- 
ment, since it allowed the embarrassment he was strug- 
gling to control to escape notice ; to escape notice, that 
is, from all but three of the passengers, who happened 
to be standing near, and who exchanged meaning 
glances. 

“ Erna — girl — where did you get these pictures ? ” 
exclaimed Lengdale. “You say the — the Professor 
gave them to you ? ” 

“ He made them, Papa ; he made them. Is it not 
wonderful? Grandmother’s picture and auntie’s and 
here’s one of Axel, too.” She turned to those nearest 
her. “ It is really a very wonderful thing. These 
pictures are not copies of any in existence. This 
gentleman is now in Iceland — and these two ladies 
are long since dead.” 

“ And one of them,” added Lengdale, still be- 
wildered, “ my mother-in-law, was never photographed 
at any time during her life.” 

A murmur of surprise followed his words. “ How 
remarkable! Wonderful! Why, it’s a miracle,” 
were the sentences heard on all sides. 

“ It is a miracle, and one man only could have done 


no 


MENE TEKEL 


it,” cried Erna. She grasped the Professor’s hand 
in both her own, and gazed up at him with her whole 
heart in her eyes. 

Tannemore coughed, to hide the word that nearly 
slipped from his lips. Lund clenched his fists tightly 
behind his back, as if afraid to trust himself. The 
real Clusius alone remained calm, smiling unperturbed. 

“ How can I ever thank you ? ” exclaimed Erna 
again, fervently. 

“ It was a little thing to do for so charming a lady,” 
replied Bridgeport, in solemn gallantry. 

“ Damned insolent cur ! ” murmured Lund. But 
Tannemore whispered in his ear : “ That comes of 

making such pictures — and then losing them.” 

The little scene broke up in a general ovation, in the 
midst of which the pseudo-Clusius walked down the 
gangway and stepped into the Captain’s boat that 
waited to take him ashore. He stood up in the stern 
sheets, bowing his thanks to those on board the steamer. 

The delay occasioned by the incident of the photo- 
graphs had given Smithson a good start. As his 
boat neared the landing he saw, among the natives 
hanging about the pier, a solitary watcher in European 
garb. He recognised the man and sprang out of his 
boat before it had scarcely touched the stone quay. 
Redfowles came forward to meet him. Their inter- 
view was short and apparently satisfactory to both 
sides. 

When Bridgeport landed there were no signs of 
Smithson, and Redfowles was in great good humour. 
The two exchanged a noisy greeting for the benefit 
of anybody within hearing, then, safely in the carriage 
on the way to the hotel, they spoke more freely. 

“ Smithson told me of your success. Good scheme, 
wasn’t it? ” 

“ It was all right,” said Bridgeport. “ How about 
the passes ? ” 


IN BEYROUT 


hi 


“ I have them here with me,” laughed Redfowles; 
“money will do anything in this country. Smithson 
is to wait for us at the hotel. Once he’s paid off, we 
can work out what’s to come.” 

“ I’m just as well pleased that the voyage is over,” 
remarked Bridgeport ; “ something queer happened 
just now.” 

“ What was it ? ” 

“ There were some photographs shown, said to have 
been made on the ship — one of them the picture of 
an old woman who is now dead and who was never 
photographed during her lifetime.” 

“ What nonsense are you talking? ” 

“ I am quite serious. There seemed to be no de- 
ception about it either.” 

“ What the deuce was it then ? ” 

“ It was something only one man could have done, 
the real Clusius. You said, you know, that his new 
discovery concerned the bringing out of faded im- 
pressions, of lost writing. I don’t know why I should 
think of it in this connection, but the thing makes me 
uneasy. I can’t imagine how those pictures got on 
board — how they came to light just as the voyage 
was nearly over. I wish I knew what to think about 
it all.” He wiped his brow and cast an anxious 
glance at his friend ; then he started suddenly and his 
very knees shook beneath him. 

Redfowles was looking out and beyond him, at a 
carriage which had cut across their path and turned 
a corner quickly. His face was ghastly pale, and he 
hissed through his clenched teeth : " The devil ! 

That was Tannemore! He came from the Pandora 
— there were two men with him, an older man and a 
young one. That was Clusius, I know. Damn you ! 
I believe your story of the photographs now. You 
confounded idiot! You’ve made a pretty mess of 
things.” 


1 12 


MENE TEKEL 


Bridgeport leaned back in the cushions and shut his 
eyes. He felt physically sick. How the three must 
have watched him throughout the absurd comedy on 
board the ship. He was thoroughly ashamed of him- 
self, and the feeling hurt. He was utterly unable to 
think out the situation. 

“ What an ass I’ve made of myself ! And he look- 
ing on,” he groaned. 

Redfowles paid no attention to his words, but seized 
him by the lapels of his coat, and shook him in a fury. 

“ Why the devil didn’t you see that the coast was 
clear before you sprung the game?” he snarled. 
“ Now it’s all up, don’t you see? All up with us! ” 

“ It’s all that man Smithson’s fault. Why didn’t 
you give me a helper with some brains ! ” murmured 
Bridgeport, trying to reassert himself. 

“ It’s my own fault. I should have played a lone 
hand. . . . Serves me right for taking in such a 
pair of idiots. You may have sense enough for an 
archaeologist, but that’s just about all. And I’ll smash 
that Smithson to powder.” 

Redfowles’ rage was still hot when they reached 
the hotel. He stormed through the house, calling 
angrily for Smithson. When the startled proprietor 
and servants had finally discovered that the Smithson 
who was demanded so violently was not a drink or a 
piece of furniture, but a man, they protested that no 
one by that name had ever been in the place. 

And it was quite true. Smithson knew better than 
to keep the appointment. After the short interview 
at the quay he disappeared into the labyrinth of the 
native quarter. And before Redfowles had finished 
his angry quest in the hotel, the man he sought was 
on a fleet horse riding out into the open country. 

Alone in their own rooms, Redfowles’ rage subsided 
and he took stock of the situation. 

“ Clusius knows then that an impostor is using his 


IN BEYROUT 


113 

name,” he said finally. “ He will naturally take steps 
to have you arrested. And it wouldn’t do for us 
just now. You’d better get on to Damascus at once, 
and hide there until I tell you what to do. He must 
not see you again until you are both in the desert, 
beyond the reach of even the Turkish police. If you 
have as strong an escort of Arabs as his, he will not 
be able to refuse you the permission to accompany 
him. You can find some excuse for doing so.” 

“ And what do you do ? ” Bridgeport felt that here 
again he was assigned the more dangerous part of the 
task. 

“ I ? Why, I’ll stay here and watch our friends,” 
replied Redfowles. “ And besides, there’s the — acci- 
dent to be arranged. After all, we have accomplished 
something. The passengers of the Pandora will 
spread abroad your point of view concerning the Ba- 
bylonian tablets. They will give interviews, and it 
will be discussed in papers everywhere.” 

“ But why don’t we hear from Smithson ? What 
does his absence mean?” queried Bridgeport anx- 
iously. 

“If it means treachery, Clusius will seek to have 
you arrested. If not — well, the matter of the photo- 
graphs may have made him suspicious. If he realises 
the truth, he’s afraid to show himself, for he knows 
we’d not pay him a shilling.” . . . 

Meanwhile Clusius and his friends had chosen for 
their stopping place the small but pleasant Hotel 
d’Orient. Immediately on his arrival, Tannemore 
shut himself in his room, let down the blinds and lit 
the candles. Half an hour later he emerged again, 
asked for the address of the nearest telegraph office 
and sauntered off in the direction indicated. 

He had not gone far before he became aware that 
Redfowles was shadowing him. He strolled on as 


MENE TEKEL 


114 

carelessly as before, stopping now and then to look 
at some picturesque oriental figure passing him, or 
to gaze up at the mysterious curtained windows of 
some private house. 

He entered the post-office in the same leisurely 
manner, and made his way to the telegraph window. 
As he did so, he turned slightly and caught a glimpse 
of Redfowles disappearing behind an angle of the 
corridor. 

Tannemore took no apparent notice of this dis- 
covery, walked to the writing stand, took up a tele- 
graph form, and began to write. After a few words 
he laid down the pen again and tore up the paper. 
Then he took a fountain pen from his pocket and 
began to write on a piece of paper which had not 
been there before. When he had finished he read the 
message through carefully and stepped to the window. 
The operator was leaning back in his chair, smoking a 
long pipe and reading a newspaper. 

“ Good evening,’’ said Tannemore in English ; “ I 
want to send this message.” 

The operator looked at him uncomprehendingly. 
“ What do you wish?” he asked finally in French. 

Tannemore pointed to the two cable forms on the 
counter. The man took them up and looked at them. 
“Can’t you write them in French?” he asked. “I 
don’t understand English.” 

“ The people to whom these messages are sent don’t 
understand French,” said Tannemore easily. “ Send 
this carefully please, word for word.” 

The man telegraphed slowly, spelling the words out 
to himself letter by letter. The telegram was a long 
one, and Redfowles, standing where he could hear the 
click of the machine quite plainly, cursed himself for 
not having learned telegraphy. It would have saved 
him the trouble and the expense of getting the man to 
show him the telegraph blank later. 


IN BEYROUT 


ii5 

The first message which the Turk sent off, without 
understanding it, was as follows: 

“Sir Edward Ceaser, Park Lane, London. 

“ Am sending this to your private address intentionally. 
Arrived here by steamer, impostor on board, giving him- 
self out to be Clusius. Believe him to be Bridgeport of 
the Babylonian tablets. His friend Redfowles here also. 
Have learned that they are planning to kill myself and 
companions during journey through desert. Impossible 
to arrange arrest just now. Send two good men, with 
warrants, at once. Shall be in Damascus on the 23rd, in 
Palmyra on the 9th of April, in Bagdad until the 20th, 
in Babylon on the 25th. Services of detectives not likely 
to be needed until later date. 

“ Tannemore.” 

“ One hundred and ten words,” said the operator 
when he had finished. 

The second message was much shorter. It was 
addressed to 

“Lady Evelyn Tannemore, 

“ Bedford Hall, Lincolnshire , England. 

“ Arrived safely. Will write as soon as possible. 
Sent you letter before taking steamer giving you dates 
and addresses. Forgive me for leaving you again. Once 
this journey is over it shall be the last for some time. 
Thinking of you — as always, 

“ Richard.” 

“ Fifty-one words,” said the Turk indifferently, 
looking in his price schedule. He counted the money 
carefully, laid the blanks in a drawer at his hand, and 
took up his pipe again. 

But the Englishman did not leave him alone just 
yet. He had a great deal to ask. He wanted to know 
the rate to Japan, and whether there was a direct 
telegraph connection with California, and who was 


n6 


MENE TEKEE 


the head of the telegraph department in Syria, and 
who was the chief authority in Bey rout, and other 
questions of similar nature. Then he took out his 
watch, held it to his ear, touched the spring, made 
it strike, and compared it with the clock on the wall. 

While doing this he walked slowly towards the door 
of the little room devoted to the telegraph department, 
and stood there in such a way as to prevent any one 
going in or out. The telegraph operator looked at 
him with a smile. He was not unaccustomed to the 
ways of the travelling English. 

Finally Tannemore put up his watch, smiled as if 
satisfied, and strolled out of the building, with the same 
casual manner as before. 

“ Took you sometime, didn’t it?” murmured Red- 
fowles to himself. “ Now I will see to whom His 
Lordship was writing, and what he had to say. Then 
I shall know how we stand.” 

He came up to the little window just as the telegraph 
operator had settled himself to the enjoyment of his 
newspaper again. 

“ Peace be unto you,” said Redfowles, in the ver- 
nacular of the country. 

“ And peace attend thy ways,” answered the Turk, 
without looking up from his paper. 

“ Abundance be in thy house,” continued Redfowles. 

“ Cooling shade and sweet milk in thine,” replied 
the telegrapher, still reading. 

“ And may thy salary be paid regularly,” persisted 
the stranger. 

The operator looked up and saw that it was a for- 
eigner who was speaking. He inquired the stranger’s 
wishes. 

Redfowles answered : “ There was a man here 

just now who wrote two telegrams.” 

The Turk nodded. “ It is so, Effendi,” he answered 
indifferently. 


IN BEYROUT 


ii 7 

Redfowles crossed his arms on the counter and 
leaned in at the window. “ I should like to read these 
two telegrams,” he said in a low voice. 

The Turk looked at him astonished, then shook his 
head. “ It will not be possible, Effendi,” he said, still 
quite indifferent. “ There is an order that I may not 
show the telegrams to any one.” 

“And who gives this order?” queried Redfowles. 

“ The Minister.” 

“ And does he pay you well ? ” 

The Turk sighed. “ Very often he does not pay at 
all.” 

Redfowles laughed. “ Who follows orders which 
are not paid for? ” he persisted. 

The Turk began to understand. He took the pipe 
out of his mouth and thought the matter over. “ And 
why should I not follow the orders ? ” he began cau- 
tiously. “ Is there any one who will pay me for not 
following them? ” 

Redfowles wasted no more words. He took a 
handful of silver out of his pocket and laid it on the 
table. With a quick glance the telegrapher took in 
the sum, pulled open the drawer beside him and handed 
out the two top formulas among those lying there. 

Redfowles took up the papers with a hand that 
trembled. The first one was addressed to 

“ Mr. Robert Failing, Russell Square, London. 

“ Arrived safely after splendid trip. Clusius and I 
much amused over fact that the inventor of the new 
hieroglyphs was also on board.” 

At this point in the message Redfowles took out 
his note-book, in case there should be anything to copy, 
then he read further. 

“ Please send my mail to the addresses in the letter 
sent you from Trieste. Also please send an order to 


MENE TEKELI 


118 

Bentworth for a dozen silk shirts to be forwarded at 
once to Bagdad. Order two new suits for me to be 
ready when I return. Good tobacco here, I’ll bring you 
some. Greetings to your family, 

“ Tannemore.” 

“Fop!” murmured Redfowles, greatly disap- 
pointed, although he copied the message word for 
word. Then he tossed it aside and took up the next 
paper. 

“You’ve made a mistake,” he said to the man at 
the window. “ You’ve given me a blank sheet.” 

“ Forgive, Effendi, it was only a mistake. Your 
eyes shall see at once that which your heart desires.” 
The operator crushed the empty blank in his hand, 
and threw it on the floor. Then he hunted through 
the drawer for the second telegram sent by the tall 
Englishman. He sought for it anxiously, but it was 
nowhere to be found. 

“ Can’t you find it?” asked Redfowles impatiently. 
“ Are you sure you put it in the drawer ? Look on the 
table.” 

“ I cannot find it, Effendi. I cannot find it, un- 
fortunate man that I am.” 

Redfowles groaned. “ This lost telegram was prob- 
ably the most important. Can you remember at least 
to whom it was sent ? ” 

“ Yes, I remember the address. The Effendi’s 
name was Lady Evelyn.” 

Redfowles laughed loudly. “ Oh, if that was it 
then you need look no further, you son of misfortune,” 
he said, still laughing, taking up his hat to leave the 
place. 

“ Looks all right thus far. They don’t seem to 
suspect our plans. If they don’t, the rest will be 
easy. . . 


CHAPTER XII 


THE START 

The travellers made the journey from Beyrout to 
Damascus by diligence, a drive of thirteen hours. 
The landscape was barren and monotonous, but the 
road they travelled was the main artery of traffic and 
offered a constant succession of pictures of oriental 
life. 

The day after their arrival in the ancient Syrian 
city, Tannemore set about arranging the final details of 
the expedition. The outfit ordered from London was 
there, as well as the extra baggage sent on by rail 
from Stockholm. The last purchases only were to be 
made in Damascus. 

Leaving the Professor busy at his writing in the 
hotel, Tannemore and Lund threaded the narrow, 
malodorous streets of the city, dodging the multi- 
farious native traffic. Lund was as excited as a child. 
It was all new to him, and everything that he saw 
fascinated him. Tannemore, to whom the sights, 
sounds and smells of the East came as old friends, 
familiar and beloved, shared his companion’s exhila- 
ration and led him gleefully in and out among the 
tangle of streets and the labyrinth of the bazaars. 
Finally he stopped in front of a row of prosperous- 
looking shops. 

“ This is the sword market, the richest of all the 
bazaars,” he explained. “ And over there is my friend 
Abu Hark, to whom we must go for passports that 
will take us safely through the desert.” 

A majestic Arab, grey-bearded and deep-eyed, 
1 19 


120 


MENE TEKEL 


clothed in flowing white and gold robes, who sat 
throned on a platform covered with rich rugs, raised 
his head at their approach. His grave face brightened, 
and his eyes lit with pleasure as he bowed ceremo- 
niously. 

“ Salaam ! Tannemore Effendi,” was his salute. 

“ Good health be thine, O Abu Hark ! and beloved 
guests within thy tent,” answered Tannemore in the 
vernacular. 

“ Lies thy journey toward the rising sun as before? ” 
asked the Arabian. “ My blessing shall go with thee 
and smooth the way before thee.” 

“ Thanks to thee, O friend ! I come now for three 
of thy passports. With two friends have I journeyed 
hither from Beyrout, and when the morrow dawns 
we Would go further.” 

Abu Hark pulled out a heavy seal hung on a long 
chain about his neck. He dipped it into a bowl of 
crimson ink. Then he took three strips of parchment 
from an urn at his right hand. 

“ How far lies thy goal,” he asked, pressing the 
seal on the paper. 

“ Towards sunrise we journey until we reach Bag- 
dad. From there we follow the water to Hilleh,” 
answered Tannemore. 

“ That is beyond the land where rule my people, the 
Anazeh,” said Abu Hark thoughtfully. “ Good 
guides will be needed, guides who know the land of 
the waters.” 

“ Thou speakest truly, wise friend. Canst thou 
procure us guides and escort? ” 

Abu Hark nodded. “ At what hotel is my friend 
Tannemore to be found?” he asked. 

Tannemore gave the address and the merchant con- 
tinued : “ When the sun is but just arisen, the escort, 

the camels and their drivers will be ready before thy 
door.” He handed out the passes to Tannemore, who 


THE START 


121 


paid for them, pressed the Arab’s hand warmly and 
took ceremonious leave of him. 

“ What an imposing person,” said Lund, who had 
been greatly interested in the proceedings although he 
had not understood the conversation. 

“ Abu Hark is a big man hereabouts,” explained 
Tannemore. “ He is one of the richest merchants 
in the town, and is closely allied with Mischoel, sheik 
of the Anazeh tribe of Bedouins. The Anazeh rule 
in the desert, and the traveller who has his passport 
from Abu Hark can pass onward in safety — usually. 
And here are the goldsmith shops full of attractive 
things. Wait for me here a moment, please. I see 
a man over there whom I must speak to.” 

Tannemore crossed the street and Lund turned to 
look at the shop behind him. A very old man sat 
there, aided by a young woman bundled in her veils. 

Lund examined the pretty jewellery laid on the 
counter, while the old man murmured something and 
held out for his inspection a little object that looked like 
an amulet. Lund did not understand the words, and 
he shook his head, smiling. 

An answering smile awoke in the soft dark eyes 
of the young woman and she laid her little brown 
hand on the old man’s arm. He drew back the amulet 
and the young woman leaned forward to talk to the 
stranger. 

“ The Effendi has no interest in the sacred amulet,” 
she began in halting French. “ For his eyes are still 
turned towards the pleasures of this world. Fatme 
is not mistaken in thinking that a piece of jewellery 
for some fair hand or throat would be more useful to 
the stranger.” 

“ The beautiful Fatme is not mistaken,” answered 
Lund, smiling. “ She knows wherewith the mind of 
a young man is occupied.” 

“ Then will not the Effendi choose a gift here for 


122 MENE TEKEL 

the Flower of the West of whom his heart is think- 
ing ?” 

“ It is a Flower of the North.” 

“ May her soul be white as is her face.” 

“ It is as white and pure,” murmured Lund. He 
took a delicately worked golden bracelet from a dark 
velvet cushion. It was formed in the shape of a lotus 
flower, the slender stem representing the circlet. A 
diamond glistened like a dewdrop on one of the leaves 
— an exquisite and artistic specimen of the jeweller’s 
art. The price was four hundred piastres. 

Lund thought of the journey he planned to Copen- 
hagen and the hope that he might there lay the dainty 
circlet around a pretty white arm. “ It shall be my 
betrothal gift,” he thought, and laid down the money 
without any attempt at bargaining. Fatme gathered 
up the coins with a smile of pleasure, and Lund walked 
off down the street. 

A few steps further on he met Tannemore. “ What 
have you got there ? ” asked the Englishman, pointing 
to the pretty little wooden box. 

“ Just a little remembrance for a friend. One likes 
to take home these little things.” 

“ Of course,” replied Tannemore gravely. “ May 
I guess that it’s a bracelet — from the shape of the 
box?” 

The sun of the East had not sufficiently darkened 
Lund’s fair skin to conceal his boyish habit of blush- 
ing. Without further words he opened the box. 

“ How very pretty,” exclaimed Tannemore. “ Come 
back with me, won’t you? I want to buy a present 
for my wife.” He took up the bracelet ancj looked at 
it carefully. “ It’s charming — such exquisite taste. 
By the way, why don’t you have the initials put on 
it while you are here ? ” 

Lund colored again, but laughed this time. “ Now, 
that’s horrid of you,” he exclaimed. “ But I think 


THE START 


I2 3: 


I’ll take your advice and have the initials put in as 
you suggest.” 

“ And suppose you can’t use it as you hope to ? ” 
teased Tannemore. 

“ Then I’ll throw it in the Sound,” answered Lund 
in tragic tones. But he looked brightly into the 
Englishman’s eyes and continued happily : “ I don’t 

think it will be necessary — at least I hope it will not 
be necessary — to throw away this pretty trifle. I’m 
glad you saw it. Sometimes you know a man wants 
to talk — it’s good to have a friend who understands 
one.” 

“ I hope you will look on me as your friend,” said 
Tannemore cordially, holding out his hand. “ I con- 
gratulate you heartily, and now come back and let me 
see what I can find for the one who waits for me at 
home.” 

They returned to the shop and to pretty Fatme. 
Tannemore chose a delicate gold chain on which hung 
one great pearl in the shape of a heart. It was cut in 
two in the middle and closed with a fine gold edging. 

He too paid for his purchase without bargaining. 
He wrote a few words on a strip of thin paper, rolled 
it up and enclosed it in the pearl. Then he had the 
jewel packed securely in proper shape for mailing. 

On the way back to the hotel Lund had the ex- 
perience of an optical delusion, or what he thought was 
such. Passing a house which had several windows 
towards the street — he did not know that it was a 
private hotel — he happened to glance up. He started 
and looked a second time, for it seemed to him that he 
had caught a glimpse there of Erna’s sweet face at 
one of the windows. Then he realised that it could 
not possibly have been, that he was getting quite 
foolish, and that it was high time for him to pull 
himself together and think of something else. So he 
said nothing about the hallucination. 


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MENE TEKEL 


The rest of the day was spent sorting out and repack- 
ing the outfit and baggage in preparation for the desert 
journey. They retired early that evening to be fresh 
for the morning’s start. 

Shortly after dawn they were awakened by a tumult 
on the street outside their windows. Looking out 
they saw the camels, the busy camel-drivers, going to 
and fro from the well to their animals, the extra pack 
horses and the donkeys. And a moment later eight 
Bedouins in flowing white cloaks, armed with long 
muskets, rode up and joined the group with a great 
clatter. These sons of the desert were not calculated 
to awaken confidence in the soul of the timid traveller. 
They were about as dirty and evil-looking a crowd of 
bandits as one could have wished for. But Tanne- 
more knew he could depend upon his friend Abu Hark 
to give him safe escort. On his last journey he had 
been able to do a service to a Bedouin chief, a relative 
of the sword merchant’s, and Abu Hark knew how to 
be grateful. 

The travellers hastened their toilet and joined the 
caravan. The baggage had been loaded on the pack 
animals before they mounted their saddle-beasts. 
When all was ready the leader of the Bedouins en- 
circled the caravan for a last searching inspection. 
Then with a shout, he galloped to the head of the 
procession which started off down the street, passing 
through the old gateway out to the desert. 

Before them lay their field of work, the mysterious 
land whose century-old riddle Clusius’ genius had come 
to solve. By land and by sea, amid all the disturb- 
ances of a varied journey he had come, but never once 
had his mind ceased its labours on the problem before 
him ; it was ready now for the last and most important 
investigation of them all. 

To Tannemore, a born rover, the life of the wilder- 
ness had a never-failing charm. His joy at being out 


THE START 


125 


on the trail again, beyond the confines of modern 
civilisation, made him forget at times the very serious 
reason for the expedition. Yet it was not only as a 
traveller but as a scientist too, that he loved this land 
of open spaces, this monotony of barren present cover- 
ing the ruins of the past. Here lay the field of re- 
search he had made particularly his own. And here 
he was now to find the culmination of his fame — or 
his lasting disgrace. But he would not allow that 
thought to come up. He would trust his wonderful 
friend, and meanwhile the setting out again in the 
shimmering dawn was joy enough of itself. 

Lund was too happy to express his joy in words. 
His keenly sensitive mind was falling minute by minute 
under the spell of the East. The brilliant sunlight 
flickering over bare yellow earth, the shadows of the 
distant, red-toned, rocky hills beyond which rose the 
dim shape of Mount Lebanon, the straight stems of 
palms on the horizon, the great silence all about — it 
was a land of magic for this son of the far North, 
and his heart rejoiced at the strange beauty of it all. 

It was some time before the rush of sensation had 
calmed down sufficiently to allow his mind to take 
thought of other things. Then he turned to Tanne- 
more. 

“ Then Bridgeport did read your telegram after all,” 
he said. 

The Englishman looked his surprise. “ What 
makes you think that ? ” he asked. 

“ Why, his intention was to join us, and we haven’t 
seen him since we landed. He must have changed his 
plans after discovering your message.” He halted 
suddenly and flushed red. “What a fool I am,” he 
exclaimed. 

Tannemore laughed gently. “Your mind is full 
of more agreeable things, I fancy, or you wouldn’t 
have forgotten my trick with the chemical ink. No, 


126 


MENE TEKEL 


neither of those precious rascals knows that we have 
sent for help, and there is no reason why they should 
give up their original plans. ” 

“ Then we shall meet them in the desert,” said Lund 
decisively. 

“ Yes, in three days.” 

“ The third day? Isn’t this the desert yet? ” cried 
Lund in a tone of disappointment. 

“ Patience, friend Hjalmar,” laughed Tannemore. 
“ We shall not be in the true desert until we leave 
Kurietain, and it’s some distance yet to Kurietain.” 

“ Then our text-books are not exact.” 

“ They seldom are. But the true desert is hard to 
define and hard to limit. And it is wonderful — 
wonderful.” 

“ Tell me something of it? ” begged Lund. “ It is 
all so new to me.” 

They rode on through the sunshine, swaying with 
the uneven gait of the camels. One of the drivers 
at the head of the caravan played a simple melody on 
his flute. Tannemore’s rich- toned voice fell easily 
into key with the fustic accompaniment as he began 
to talk of the land he knew and loved so well. He 
talked and Lund listened spellbound, while the Pro- 
fessor, absorbed in his studies which even the dis- 
comforts of camel-riding could not interrupt, looked 
up now and then to put in a word. 

Tannemore talked of the great past of the country 
through which they were to travel, then of the wild 
Bedouin tribes who now peopled it. The Englishman 
had spent many months among these Nomads in 
whose inscrutable oriental hearts poetry and bloodshed, 
romance and knavery were so strangely mingled. He 
knew their legends and tales of imagining and of 
actuality. The sun-bathed hours passed so pleasantly 
in this manner that Lund aroused with a start of 
surprise when the mid-day halt was called. 


CHAPTER XIII 

THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 

The first camp was made, and the first night spent in 
the open at the village of Othneh, in a barren rocky 
valley lying between two ranges of hills. The next 
day’s ride brought the caravan to Kurietain, and early 
on the following morning Lund found himself at last 
looking out over the yellow sand of the true desert. 

All about him, stretching out into dim distance, lay 
the seemingly boundless expanse of the North Arabian 
plateau, the Palmyrene wilderness. A silence as deep 
as the silence of the desert fell on the party as they 
rode out into those trackless wastes which hid the 
secrets they had come so far to discover. The sun 
rose higher and higher, pouring straight shafts of 
light down upon them, light that broke into myriad 
glittering particles in the loose sand. 

When they had ridden for some hours Tannemore 
looked up at the sky, then urged his camel to a quicker 
pace until he had ridden some distance ahead of his 
friends. Then he signed to the Arab guide Davud. 

“ It is high noon,” he said ; “ why is not the signal 
given to halt? Why do we still push on?” 

Davud, the leader of the Bedouins, a small keen- 
eyed man, lithe and tough as whipcord, had been 
riding about the caravan talking to several of his men. 
A certain uneasiness in his manner had not escaped 
the Englishman’s attention. At his question Davud 
pulled his horse closer up to Tannemore’s camel and 
spoke low and solemnly : “ Allah alone is All-Know- 

ing, but the eyes of a good guide in the desert must 
127 


128 


MENE TEKEL 


see more than the road before him. For two days 
now men follow our footsteps. Their tents are 
pitched scarce more than an hour’s journey behind us. 
They rest when we rest and they ride when we ride. 
They ride with our pace and they have no bales or 
wares, they are not merchants. Duhamil on his speedy 
runner has been sent back to watch them. He has 
told me of them. He has told me furthermore that 
one only of the travellers is not of the Orient. With 
him are fifteen riders of the desert, his escort. They 
are stronger than we. Is it thy will that we shall ride 
on faster or that we should await their coming?” 

Tannemore pondered a moment, then asked, “ It is 
thy belief, then, that this white man is following us, 
and that he and his escort could easily catch up with 
us if they wished? ” 

“ That is my belief.” 

“ And they are stronger than we ? ” 

“ Fidelity is stronger than all else,” said Davud 
gravely. “ And fidelity is here with thee. That is a 
good thing when enemies draw near to us in the 
desert.” 

“ Thou speakest truely, O Davud. This man behind 
us has evil in his mind. If his riders are as true to 
him — ” 

Davud smiled. “ They are true — but in a dif- 
ferent way — they are true to him as one is true for 
gold.” 

“ And thou, Davud ? ” 

“ I am true to thee, Effendi, as a man is true to 
one who has saved that which is dearest to him.” 

“ Thou must speak more plainly, friend.” 

The Bedouin looked up, his eyes softening. “ The 
light of my tent is Laila, of Mischoel’s kin.” 

Then Tannemore understood. A year ago he had 
by chance been able to save the woman from capture 
by a hostile tribe, and had won thereby the undying 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 129 

gratitude of the powerful sheik. He had not known 
that the leader of his escort was the woman’s husband. 

“ Why should I not be faithful to thee, O Protector? 
Abu Hark, with whom be the blessing of God, knows 
of thy deed and of my thanks to thee. Who but I 
should lead thee through the desert ? And now, 
Effendi, thou knowest that I and mine will be faithful 
to thee. What wilt thou that we shall do?” 

“ Friend Davud, we will ride no more quickly than 
before.” 

“ And if they attack us? ” 

“ We will defend ourselves and we shall be victo- 
rious, O friend, for I tell thee now that it is a sacred 
duty that I should protect these two who have come 
into the dangers of the desert for my sake.” 

Davud nodded and rode back to his place at the 
head of the caravan. An hour later the rear guard 
announced that a cloud of dust, evidently made by 
approaching riders, was seen on the horizon behind 
them. It drew no nearer until towards evening, 
however, when the shapes and outlines of a number of 
riders appeared more distinctly in the midst of the dust. 
Among the Bedouins of the troop, Tannemore, through 
his glasses could see one white man, whom he recog- 
nised as Bridgeport. 

He turned to Clusius. “ Bridgeport is coming,” he 
said. “ He has fifteen riders and three camel-drivers 
with him.” 

“ A larger force than ours,” remarked Clusius, 
carefully underscoring some words he had just written. 

“ We will wait for them,” stfid Tannemore, making 
a sign to Davud. 

The caravan halted and faced about, the camels 
in the middle and the Bedouins of the escort on either 
side of them. 

“ It’s undoubtedly Bridgeport,” said the Professor. 
“ A most impertinent face he has,” 


130 


MENE TEKEL 


The riders approaching them halted also and the 
white man rode forward alone. As he came near he 
called out, “ Good evening. Are you surprised to see 
me here ? ” 

“ Not the slightest. Good evening,” answered 
Clusius. 

“ My name is Asville, Dr. Asville, from Lausanne,” 
continued Bridgeport, with calm impertinence. 

“ I thought you were Professor Clusius from 
Sweden,” said Clusius. 

“ Oh, no,” returned the other ; “ you never thought 
that, because you yourself are the celebrated Clusius. 
But now that we are out in the desert it is no longer 
necessary, for your sake, that I should represent you.” 

Clusius was just a little astonished, but he answered 
with an ironical smile, “ Then your usurping of my 
name — ‘ representing me/ as you term it so neatly — 
was done for my sake? This is most interesting. 
But I’m afraid I shall have to ask you to explain.” 

Bridgeport sighed audibly. “ I’m very sorry you’re 
not ready to thank me for it,” he said. “ Ingratitude 
is hard to bear. You evidently did not know that one 
of the passengers thought he recognised you. The 
man was not quite sure of his case, but it took a good 
deal of pains on my part to persuade him that you 
were not the man he believed you to be. I assumed 
your name to spare you all the inconveniences and 
annoyances that would have come to you, had you been 
obliged to give up your incognito. I also freed you 
from a swarm of tourists who would otherwise have 
accompanied you, by telling them that I was going to 
the southern part of Arabia.” 

“Very kind of you, indeed,” said Clusius. “And 
possibly you will tell me the reason for your doing 
all this ? Dr. . . . Asville — I think you said your 
name was ? ” 

Bridgeport sat erect in his saddle, and his face wore 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 131 


an expression of great dignity. “ You wish to know 
why I was anxious that your studies should not be 
interrupted? The reason for it is my friendship for 
the man whom you are trying to disgrace — the archae- 
ologist Bridgeport.” 

“ And how do you expect to serve that friend 
here?” persisted the Professor. 

“ I shall watch over such of your experiments as 
are designed to prove Bridgeport’s tablets a forgery. 
I wish to control your manner of working and to see 
that you are absolutely impartial and honest.” 

Tannemore had been listening with impatience. 
Now he took part in the conversation. “ You will 
have to answer to me for your doubts of the Pro- 
fessor’s honesty,” he said sharply. 

“ Don’t let yourself become excited, Richard,” said 
the Professor; “we all know what value such words 
have in this case.” Turning to Bridgeport he con- 
tinued : “ And was it for this reason, Dr. Asville, 

that you gave out opinions, as coming from me and 
my friends, which had no relation whatever to the 
truth?” 

Dr. Asville smiled coldly. “ You were frank 
enough in espousing Lord Tannemore’s cause before 
there was any proof against Bridgeport. I did not 
think it wrong to offset the harm which you have 
done in this way by whatever I might say on the 
steamer.” 

“ And you think such action quite right and 
proper ? ” 

Dr. Asville shrugged his shoulders and gave a 
glance back at his Bedouin escort. “We are in the 
desert now,” he said. “ In taking your name on the 
Pandora , and sparing you all disturbance, I have done 
you a favour. Besides which we are in the desert — 
you have much to do yet and so have I. When we 
return to Europe we can discuss the other matter. 


1 3 2 


MENE TEKEL 


As for the present moment, the desert roads are free 
to all. You cannot prevent my going with you, before 
you, behind you, or if — the road being wide enough 
— beside you.” 

“ You are quite right, we cannot prevent it,” said 
the Professor. 

“ Therefore,” continued Bridgeport, “ would it not 
be to the interest of all of us to forget any personal 
differences and to guard against the dangers of these 
wastes by travelling together in one caravan ? ” 

The Professor said nothing for some time and 
Tannemore and Lund were careful not to interrupt. 
They realised that Clusius wished Bridgeport to think 
the proposition so new to him that it required con- 
sideration. Finally he spoke, with icy politeness. 
“ Very well, then ; I accept your proposition. Circum- 
stances compel me to do so.” 

Bridgeport bowed stiffly and the others answered 
his greeting with the same formality. The newcomer 
withdrew into the circle of his own escort, talked to 
its leader for some minutes, then all joined the caravan. 

Davud rode in the van. But he looked around 
uneasily from time to time, and finally dropped back 
until he was alongside of Tannemore’s camel. 

“Would you speak with me, Hadchi?” asked 
Tannemore. 

“ My lord and protector knows doubtless what it is 
he does,” began the Bedouin ; “ but the enemy is at 
our back.” 

“ Do not be alarmed, friend Davud. We need not 
fear these people yet.” 

“ Not yet ? Then they are to be feared only later ? ” 

“ It is so. The day will come when the stranger 
Effendi and his people must ride before us, that our 
lives may be safe from murderous attack. When that 
time comes, O friend, I will make a sign to thee that 
thou mayst be watchful. Until then be at ease. For 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 133 

until then, those behind us will help, should other 
danger come near, not hurt us.” 

The halt for that evening was made at the ruins of 
Kasr-el-Hair, and on the following day the caravan 
expected to reach Tadmor, the modern village built 
on the ruins of Palmyra. 

All day they rode over the sand, between low 
ridges of rock hills. Conversing on the subject of the 
country through which they passed, the travellers 
forgot their strained relations, or at least hid them in 
their mutual interest in the civilisations of the past. 

As the sun sank lower and threw horizontal rays 
across the yellow expanse of sand, the caravan halted 
for a moment, while Davud stretched out his hand 
and called, “ Palmyra.” They topped a ridge and 
looked out at a wonderful spectacle. 

Hundreds of stone columns stood before them in 
endless colonnades. Great arches spanned some of 
them, and mighty temple walls and monuments arose 
from a mass of scattered ruins that covered the ground 
for acres. Far and wide they stretched, these wit- 
nesses of a bygone life, of a mighty civilisation that 
was dead. The glow of the sinking sun touched 
with colour the tall columns, and threw their slender 
shadows far out over the desert. Beyond them, in 
the gathering dust, lay the boundless desert. 

Gigantic ruins only, told of the glories of the desert 
city Palmyra, the seat of mighty tyrants, the most 
brilliant Fata Morgana in all the history of the Orient. 
For three miles it stretched, this mighty graveyard of 
ancient pfwer. To the south and the east of it the 
plateau on which it stood sank gently down to the 
open desert. On the other side, rose bare hills. 

Along the edge of the city the caravan travelled to 
the far eastern end, where lay the mighty Temple of 
the Sun God. Finally Davud halted his horse. “ Let 
us pitch our tents here,” he said. 


134 


MENE TEKEL 


The travellers knew that a large colony of Arabs 
was living amid the ruins, but as they passed there was 
no sign of life to be seen. None came to meet them 
with a greeting, not even a curious child peeped out 
at them. 

They rode through a great breach in the city wall, 
and entered the modern village of Tadmor. 

The great square court of the temple, surrounded 
by stately columns, and among the straight shafts and 
the still superb entrance some sixty miserable mud 
huts, clinging to the ancient walls as if for protection, 
made a strange picture — a meagre modernity in the 
shadow of the mighty past. 

A few Arabs, old men, women and children, sat 
about in front of the huts. They did not move as the 
caravan came in to the temple court, and they gave no 
sign of welcome. On the contrary, the moment they 
saw the travellers they rose and disappeared inside 
their houses. 

Tannemore and Clusius looked at each other in sur- 
prise and some slight uneasiness. The Englishman 
made a sign to Davud, who rode up to them. “ What 
does this mean?” he asked as the Arab came near. 

“ Allah alone is all-knowing,” replied Davud. “ I 
do not know what this means. But I know that when 
the Bedouins do not greet the traveller there is some- 
thing wrong.” 

He dismounted at the corner of the great court, 
which was the farthest from the native settlement. 
An hour later tents were pitched, the animals unsaddled 
and everything arranged for the evening meal. The 
four Europeans sat at one side, a little distance from 
their native escort. The moon rose with a reddish 
glow over the skeleton of a distant viaduct. The 
stars stood out clearly in the dark sky, and a soft 
singing, like a low plaint, came from the group of the 
camel-drivers. 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 135 

The scene, with its mingling of wilderness and his- 
toric grandeur, affected them all, even the experienced 
travellers, and in spite of the constraint caused by 
Bridgeport’s presence the little supper party passed 
off very pleasantly. Towards the close of the meal 
the Professor raised his silver drinking-cup filled with 
wine, and turned to Bridgeport. “ Dr. Asville, I hope 
you have no objection to our drinking a toast which 
occurs to me here in the shadow of this Temple of the 
Sun God?” 

Bridgeport bowed stiffly. “ I have no objection,” 
he answered, “ provided I am not the object of your 
toast.” 

“ You are not,” said Clusius. Then looking up- 
ward he continued : “ It is to Thee, O Mighty Star 

of Light, that I drink this glass — thee in whose 
honour these stones were reared — to Thee, O Sun, 
that bringest forth the truth ! ” 

And he held out his glass. 

His friends smiled at him with so much meaning in 
their eyes that Bridgeport was conscious of a sensation 
of discomfort, not unmingled with alarm. 

When the coffee was brought to them, Davud came 
and asked Lord Tannemore to come with him to 
where the camels lay. The Englishman arose. 

“ Is anything the matter? ” he asked. 

“ I want to speak with you alone,” answered the 
Arab, in a low tone. 

They walked on without further words until they 
turned the corner of the wall; then Davud quickened 
his pace, but instead of turning towards their camp he 
took the opposite direction, across an open square 
paved with great marble flags. At its further end was 
a broad flight of stairs, once leading up to some great 
public building, but now rising into empty air. Davud 
ran up the steps, motioning Tannemore to follow 
him. 


136 


MENE TEKEL 


When they reached the top, the Bedouin held out his 
hand, pointing towards the west. 

Before them lay the vast expanse of the desert, 
white in the moonlight. Their sharp eyes saw some- 
thing moving over the brightness. Tannemore took 
his field-glass from his pocket and put it to his eyes. 
“ It is a rider,” he said. 

“ It is Omar, the leader of the caravan which has 
joined ours,” said Davud. “ The strange Effendi 
talked to him while we were still making camp. He 
gave him a letter.” 

“Indeed? You should have told me before.” 

“ Lord and protector, I did not believe that they 
were planning treachery.” 

“ I believe thee, and even had we known it, we 
should not have stopped the man from riding away. 
We do not wish to break the peace as yet. But now, 
Davud, whither thinkest thou does Omar ride ? ” 

“ He rides no further than those hills there.” 

“ Then in the Jebel-Hajau lies the man to whom 
Omar is sent? 

“ That is my thought, O master.” 

“And when, thinkest thou, can he return?” 

“ Before the sun returns. I shall see him coming.” 

“ And thou wilt watch when he shall speak with Dr. 
Asville? And wilt watch the two further? ” 

“ I will, O protector of my happiness.” 

Tannemore put his glass to his eye again. The 
horse and rider were but a tiny black dot now, moving 
slowly over the white expanse. Before them stretched 
a barren ridge of hills. “ Then Redfowles is there 
to-night,” thought Tannemore. “ He is following 
close behind us.” 

They returned to the camp, and Tannemore joined 
his friends. Bridgeport looked at him closely, but 
could see nothing more than the usual calm poise 
in the other’s face. 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 137 

“ Don’t you find this wonderful, friend Hjalmar ? ” 
asked Tannemore, coming up to where Lund sat. 

“ I do indeed,” answered the young Swede, with 
flashing eyes. “ For me these ruins are peopled with 
the shades of the myriads who lived here ages since.” 

“ Suppose we take a little stroll about the ruins, 
before we turn in? I will be your guide; I’m as much 
at home in Palmyra as in London.” 

Lund scrambled to his feet. “ Oh, that will be 
very good of you ! ” he exclaimed delighted. “ I was 
longing to see something of the place, but I knew that 
I could never find my way about alone, and I was 
ashamed to ask you to go with me; I knew it must 
all be an old story to you.” 

“ I’ll go with you myself,” said the Professor, ris- 
ing. 

“ And so will I,” said Bridgeport quickly. 

“ As you wish, Dr. Asville,” said Tannemore. 

They buttoned up their coats before they started 
out, for although it had been a warm day the night 
was cool. Talking in low tones, as if in fear of dis- 
turbing the sleep of ages around them, they walked 
through long colonnades, under spectral arches, 
through skeleton doorways. On either side of them 
the moonlight threw bluish shadows from great blocks 
of granite half buried in the sand. Beneath their feet 
splitting marble flags gave place to soft sand, then 
spread again a firmer pavement for them. Mists arose 
at a little distance, glimmering ghostly in the moon- 
light. Before them arose suddenly a great shadow, 
darkening the path. 

“ What is it? ” asked Lund, full of interest. 

“ A doorway,” said Tannemore. 

“ A triumphal arch,” corrected the Professor. 
“ The opening is just a little further on.” 

And as they turned the corner of the wall beside 
which they walked, they found themselves under the 


MENE TEKEL 


138 

huge arch. At their feet lay massive carved blocks, 
and little sand-snakes played in and out of the heaped 
stones. 

Then another wall arose before them and they 
sought for some time until they found an opening, 
passing through which they found themselves in the 
well-preserved court of a majestic temple. They 
crossed the marble floor to the further wall, and dis- 
covered there a small door which they opened with 
little difficulty. It led into an absolutely dark room 
and a blast of cold air came to meet them. 

Tannemore lit his lantern and the four men looked 
about them, in a small circular apartment. 

“ There’s another door,” said Bridgeport, point- 
ing to the opposite wall. 

Tannemore held him back as he started in that di- 
rection. “ Let us see what is here first,” he said, 
sweeping the light of his lantern around the walls and 
then up to the ceiling. 

“ There’s something painted on the roof,” cried 
Lund. “ Capricornus — the Archer ; why, it’s the 
whole zodiac.” 

The colours of the painting were fading but still 
clear, and, the signs of the zodiac were plainly visible. 

“I wonder who painted that?” mused Lund 
thoughtfully. 

“ Some caliph had this place decorated, I suppose,” 
suggested Bridgeport. 

A sharp exclamation from Tannemore made them 
all turn around. He was turning the pages of a book 
which he had found on a ledge of the wall. It was in 
Latin, the margins covered by comments in Arabian 
letters. “ Do you see what it is ? ” he exclaimed, 
handing the book to Clusius. “ It is your work ‘ Con- 
cerning the Nature and the Movements of the Stars,’ 
the Latin edition.” 


THE MEETING IN THE DESERT 139 

“ How astonishing,” said Bridgeport ; “ what is it 
doing here ? ” 

“ Delightful ! ” cried Lund. “ Here we take a 
moonlight stroll through the ruins of Palmyra, we 
come into this ancient temple and we find a. book writ- 
ten by my famous Master — this is truly wonderful.’’ 

“ Yes, it appears to be my book,” said the Profes- 
sor calmly. “ You had better put it back where you 
found it, Richard.” And Clusius carefully wiped a 
particle of dust from his fingers. 


CHAPTER XIV 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY AND CLUSIUS FINDS A 
DISCIPLE 

An hour or so after Bridgeport’s caravan left Da- 
mascus, another much larger expedition set forth over 
the same route, with two women in the party and con- 
siderable baggage, making progress necessarily slower 
than that of the troop of riders which had preceded 
it. 

This second party consisted of Mr. Lengdale, his 
daughter, Mrs. Henning and Lengdale’s valet Knute. 
There was a third man — who had joined them in Da- 
mascus. He had met Mr. Lengdale in the office of 
the British Consul and had asked permission to ac- 
company the caravan. He introduced himself as Mr. 
John Walker, of Belfast, Ireland. He looked to be 
about forty-five, strong and confident, and Mr. Leng- 
dale was not averse to so useful an addition to the 
company. 

The Danish millionaire had no liking either for the 
actual discomforts or the possible dangers of this 
journey through the desert, but he was willing to 
please his daughter, and he knew that a judicious ex- 
penditure of money can alleviate discomfort anywhere 
and minimise danger. He could not quite understand 
why Erna did not want to join the “ Professor,” 
whose large armed escort inspired confidence, or why 
his capricious child had so evidently avoided the cele- 
brated scientist since leaving the steamer. 

“ It would be so nice to be with him,” said Leng- 
dale. “ We’re going to the same place; why not go 
140 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


141 

with your Professor? I don’t think he’d have any 
objection.” 

“ But I should,” said Erna decisively. “ Please 
don’t worry me, Papa. I’m not usually capricious, am 
I? Please let me manage this trip in my own way.” 
She leaned over his chair, putting both arms lovingly 
around his neck. 

Lengdale drew her soft cheek nearer his own. 
“Why, certainly, pet; you shall do just as you like.” 

Next morning early, Erna stood at her window 
carefully hidden by the curtain. She had been 
awakened by the trampling approach of a caravan. A 
deep flush reddened her white skin as she looked down 
at the three men on the camels. She looked at the 
three, but saw only one. She clasped her hands nerv- 
ously and drew a deep breath. She really ought to 
doubt and despise him, but she would never do that. 
The evidence was all against him, but it was something 
she did not understand, something he would make 
clear some day, and then — Erna did not follow her 
thoughts further along that line. She hid her burning 
cheek in a fold of the curtain, and her heart beat as it 
had on the deck of the Pandora , when she listened to 
the strange declaration of love which had made her 
so happy and yet so angry. 

No, if she hated anybody it was that odious Pro- 
fessor who had interrupted them! In spite of the 
mysterious photographs, she did not like him and never 
would. Her admiration for the unknown Clusius was 
now an illusion shattered. 

“ He said he would not come to Copenhagen,” she 
murmured. “Very well, then, I will go to Nineveh; 
— anybody can go to Nineveh. But my coming shall 
be my answer.” 

Several hours later her own party set out on its 
ride, and Erna’s heart sang a glad melody to the sway- 
ing step of her camel. Every moment of the journey 


142 


MENE TEKEL 


was a delight to her. It never entered her head that 
there might be dangers as well in this fascinating wil- 
derness — this wilderness where love was awaiting her. 
She scarcely noticed the stranger who had joined their 
party. If she thought of his existence at all it was 
merely to be glad that her father seemed to find him 
an acceptable companion. 

In Kurietain, to their mutual surprise, they fell in 
with two other passengers of the Pandora , Mr. Sleid- 
ing and Mr. Schmidgruber. Lengdale was pleased at 
the meeting, and glad to join forces for the further 
journey, but Erna objected and made various excuses 
to delay her own party in Kurietain. The two men 
were travelling light, on mule-back, with a guide, a 
cook and two Bedouins, and gave out that they wished 
to join the famous Professor as soon as they could. 
They had met with unforeseen delays earlier in the 
journey, and were now anxious to push on with all 
possible speed. 

Erna’s manoeuvres succeeded, and Sleiding and 
Schmidgruber went on alone. Somewhat to her sur- 
prise, the girl found herself ably seconded in her 
scheme for delay by Mr. John Walker, who like her- 
self, seemed desirous of no further additions to the 
party. Indeed, in Kurietain he kept to himself as 
much as was possible without pointedly avoiding the 
other two. 

“ I wondered why he was so anxious to be with us,” 
thought Erna. “If he likes solitude he could have 
had it. I wish I could ! ” 

She did not know, of course, that Mr. Walker 
particularly made a point of travelling in a caravan 
with ladies, not from any special liking for their 
company, but for the look of things. If news of 
their approach reached the ears of travellers preceding 
them, a party consisting of two ladies, two gentlemen 
and a servant sounded most innocent and unsuspicious. 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


143 


And if any of those in the preceding caravan had an 
inkling that Redfowles was near them, they would 
never look for him in this harmless party of tourists. 

Once safely rid of Sleiding and Schmidgruber he 
had his own party guided out of Kurietain by a shorter 
route known only to the natives, and gave secret 
orders that the camels should be pushed to the limit 
of their speed. His companions would have suffered 
much physical discomfort from this forced march had 
they not been good sailors by race and habit. As it 
was, being quite ignorant of the usual methods of 
desert-travelling, they took their shaking up as part 
of the day’s work, but were glad nevertheless when 
the evening halt was called and camp made in the 
shadow of the hills of Jebel Hajan. 

Later that evening the little colony of tents lay quiet 
in the white radiance of moonlight. The camels 
rested in a hollow of the ground and beyond them lay 
the armed Bedouins, each beside his horse. One of 
the camel-drivers stood sentry on the edge of the 
camp. The bleak, rock hills behind it were sufficient 
guard in that direction. 

A little breeze drove the loose sand into occasional 
ripples, and now and then a camel changed position 
with a grunt. Otherwise there was no sound heard. 
Then a tent flap moved, scarcely louder than the 
sighing of the breeze, and a slender figure stood in the 
opening, looking out into the splendour of the Eastern 
night. 

“ Erna, child, why aren’t you asleep?” came a 
voice from inside the tent. “ It must be midnight.” 
Mrs. Henning’s uneasy slumbers were broken by a 
troublesome mosquito. 

“ I can sleep enough at home,” answered the girl, 
without turning. “ We haven’t nights like this.” 

“ Mercy on us, aren’t you dead after that awful 
ride? I’m shaken into little bits.” 


144 


MENE TEKEE 


“ You poor old dear,” laughed Erna, coming back 
into the tent. “ Now be good and go to sleep again, 
and don’t mind me.” She smoothed th*e covers over 
her companion, and kissed her lightly on the forehead. 

“ Put on a coat if you stand there long,” murmured 
the older woman. “ The nights are cold here.” Her 
eyes closed and she fell asleep again. 

Erna obediently snatched up a long coat, and went 
out into the night. She followed the path up the hill 
but only halfway to the height, and stood sheltered 
by a boulder, her pale garments melting into the back- 
ground of white rocks and sand about her. The plain 
lay stretched at her feet, ghostly white in the moon- 
light. Her imagination pictured the caravans cease- 
lessly crossing this wilderness throughout the centuries, 
leaving no trace of their presence except here and 
there some bleaching bones in the sand. 

Suddenly she started and bent forward. A black 
dot moved across the white plain, in the direction of 
their camp. Nearer it came and nearer until it took 
shape and form to her peering eyes. It was a Bedouin 
on a black horse. He galloped rapidly onward, dodging 
among the loose stones, though she could hear no 
sound of hoofs. Silent as the night itself, the speed- 
ing rider came on. Erna shuddered. She tried to 
step from her hiding-place, to return to her tent, but 
her feet refused obedience to her will. She stood 
motionless, spellbound, watching the silent approach 
of the galloping steed. 

Suddenly a sound broke the stillness, the hideous, 
hoarse laugh of a hyena. A new terror struck to the 
girl’s heart. Then she saw that the ghostly rider had 
halted in his speed and was walking his horse slowly 
over the sand. At the same time, looking back at the 
camp to regain her courage, she saw the flap of Mr. 
Walker’s tent — it lay nearest the rocks — open, and 
that gentleman himself step out, fully dressed. 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


145 ' 

The hyena laughed again, and the ghostly rider 
stood still, a short distance only from Erna’s hiding- 
place. Suddenly the girl realised that it was no 
phantom of the desert, but some human intrigue that 
she was witnessing, and her fear gave way to a great 
curiosity. 

She shrank into the shadow of her rock and watched 
Mr. Walker approach the Arab and talk to him. The 
rider handed him a letter. Walker moved out from 
the shadow into the clear moonlight, which was bright 
enough to read by, and read it; then tore the paper 
into several pieces, stuffing them in his pocket, and 
pulled out a pencil and a note-book. He scribbled a 
few words on one leaf, folded it and handed it to 
the Bedouin. Another whispered conversation fol- 
lowed, then the Arab swung his horse around, and 
galloped away as silently as he had come. Walker 
returned to his tent and did not emerge again, although 
Erna waited some time, before leaving the shelter of 
the rock, to make sure. 

As she climbed down the hillside she cast one last 
glance at the place where the ghostly rider had stood. 

“ I wonder why there was no sound of hoof-beats,” 
she thought. 

Presently she spied a piece of paper glistening in 
the moonlight, and walked over to the spot and picked 
it up. “ It’s indecent to read other people’s letters,” 
she murmured, “ but I’m going to read this one, just 
the same.” 

There were several torn scraps of the paper, and 
such words as she could make out, although clearly 
written, were disconnected and scattered. It was 
written in English, a language that Erna both read 
and spoke easily. “ shall watch no experi- 

ment possible — keep you informed — Lund and 
Tannemore restless — Clusius indifferent — taking his 


146 


MENE TEKEL 


name on ship — day’s journey behind — Palmyra to- 
morrow ” 

Erna was still trying to form a connected idea of 
what she had read, when she heard again a noise from 
Walker’s tent, and dropping the pieces precipitately 
had just time to hide behind a rock when her fellow- 
traveller came out. She saw him stride quickly to 
where the note lay, pick up the pieces, and with a 
glance apparently to satisfy himself they were what he 
sought, go back into his tent. 

Erna hurried back to her own shelter and jumped 
into bed pondering over her adventure in the dark- 
ness, repeating to herself the words on the paper as 
far as she could remember them. Suddenly she sat 
up with a gasp. 

“ Can — can it be possible ? ” She clapped her hand 
over her mouth, not to let the words escape. “ Why, 
then — then that is the reason — ” 

A low happy laugh escaped her delicate finger-tips, 
and a glowing cheek buried itself in the friendly cool- 
ness of the pillow. Erna’s quick wit had made a dis^ 
co very of considerable importance to various people. 
But at the moment she could think only of what 
it meant to her — to her and to one other. 

Just as Tannemore placed the book back upon the 
stone window-ledge where he had found it, and the 
Professor wiped the dust from his fingers, a broad 
ray of light fell into the room, and a deep voice spoke 
the greeting, “ Mahaban.” 

All four men turned quickly in the direction from 
which the sound came. The door that Bridgeport had 
discovered was open and on its threshold stood an old 
Arab. A long loose gown of grey silk fell in heavy 
folds from his shoulders to the ground. Thick white 
brows arched above dark gleaming eyes, and a snow- 
white beard' reached to his belt. 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


147 

“ Mahaban ! ” he said again, then added : “ What 

brings you here ? ” 

Tannemore, who spoke the most fluent Arabian, 
answered with a deep bow: “ Pardon if we intrude. 
We did not think to find any one in this old temple. 
We were studying the ruins of Palmyra.” 

“ And you take the hours of the night for that? ” 

“ The sun was sinking as we came hither. Before 
we had eaten our evening meal the moon was high 
above the hills, ere the sun rises again we must be in 
our saddles.” 

The old man looked at the speaker and then at the 
others with grave attention. In his eyes there was 
another expression, a look as of pity. He turned to 
the Professor, who had again taken the book from the 
window-ledge and was fingering its pages. The old 
man shook his head, and turned again to Tanne- 
more. 

“You will journey onward to-morrow morning?” 
he asked. “ Must it be ? ” 

“ It is our plan.” 

“ And you cannot remain here ? ” 

“ Our business takes us towards the sunrise.” 

“ Come you not from Damascus, and go on to Bag- 
dad ? ” asked the Arab quickly. 

“ It is as thou sayest,” answered Tannemore in 
surprise. “ How dost thou know it? ” 

The old man did not answer. Again his eyes were 
turned towards the Professor, who was reading in 
the book and shaking his head as if in disapproval. 
The Arab took a step or two nearer and asked: 
“ What displeases thee in the book that a wise man 
hath written and that belongs to me ? ” 

“ There is a comment written here which runs 
counter to the author’s intention,” answered Clusius. 

“ And how dost thou know the intention of thq 
author so well? ” asked the Arab with a smile. 


148 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I know it quite well/’ replied the Professor, smil- 
ing himself, “ for I am the author.” 

The old man stood silent for some moments. His 
trembling hand stroked his beard, while his dark eyes 
bored themselves into the Professor’s very soul. 
Finally he said again: “ Thou art he who has written 
this book ? ” 

“ It is so.” 

“ Cannot any man who comes this way make the 
assertion ? ” 

“ Yes, any one might,” replied Clusius calmly. 

The old man snatched up the book. “ Tell me 
then what is in the first chapter,” he whispered in 
excitement. 

Clusius complied. “ And the seventh ? ” The old 
man’s voice was scarcely audible, but the listeners 
heard him, and the Professor gave a detailed expla- 
nation of the seventh chapter. 

The inmate of the ruined temple grew pale in his 
excitement. “ Then thou art indeed this great, this 
famed man?” he cried, his voice echoing uncannily 
from the domed roof. “ Or — could it be that thou 
knowest the book so well because thou hast read it 
often? ” 

“ I cannot compel thy belief,” replied the Professor. 

The Arabian took his hand. “ Oh, yes,” he cried, 
“ thou canst compel me, thou canst prove to me that 
thy words are true. Come with me, come all of 
you — ” 

Still holding the Professor’s hand he led them 
through the door from which he had come. They 
found themselves in a large, high room. At one of 
its windows stood a great telescope, pointing upward 
to the skies. Old books and rolls of parchment lay 
about on the floor and were hung on the walls. A 
table, piled high with them, held a lighted lamp, beneath 
which lay a huge tome open. 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


149 


“ If thou be really Clusius, the great one, then speak 
to me now, and my soul shall know thee as him for 
whom I have longed ; — then shall I be happy for the 
days that are still given to me, because that my eyes 
have seen thee. ,, The old man spoke with deep 
gravity, and stepped toward the telescope. “ I will 
set it,” he said ; “ stay thou there by the table.” 

Clusius did as he was asked, and the Arab arranged 
the telescope. Then he turned and spoke : “ Stranger 
and guest, canst thou tell me what star I would see 
now? Here is the table by which I have set the 
glass.” 

The Professor looked at his watch. “ Ten o’clock,” 
he murmured, and stood silent a moment, thinking. 
Finally he said : “ My friend, thou hast seen Ras- 

Algethi, in the sign of Hercules.” 

The old man stroked his beard again with a trem- 
bling brown hand. “ Thou hast said it,” he stammered. 
“ Thou art indeed he whom I revere — ” 

“No, wait a moment,” said Clusius; “that was six 
minutes ago. Thou canst not see the star now, for it 
is eclipsed.” 

The Arab hastened to the glass. “ Yes ! It is 
eclipsed! It is eclipsed.” He stood a moment silent, 
then turned back to Clusius, and crossed his arms over 
his breast. “ Allah loveth me — he has spent his 
mercy upon me — he has let mine eyes see in the flesh 
the longing of my heart — the great wise man of all 
the wise.” And to the others he said : “ Leave us 

alone, O friends ; let me sit at his feet and listen to his 
words.” 

Quietly the others turned and left the room, taking 
their way back to the tents, still under the spell of the 
scene they had witnessed. As they came past the 
group of the camel-drivers, one of them was telling a 
story to his fellows and the travellers stopped to 
listen. 


MENE TEKEL 


150 

Undisturbed by their approach the narrator con- 
tinued his tale : 

“ But there is one night in which the Bedouin can- 
not sleep, for shadows flit about his tent and shake its 
walls. And the echoes, the souls of the dead, float 
through the desert. The jackal whines and the women 
in the tents huddle together in fear, for the spirits of 
evil are abroad. Then the wind arises and the storm 
sweeps over the sand. And through the storm there 
sounds a note of music. And the camel-driver long 
since dead of thirst gathers his bleaching bones to- 
gether; the traveller, buried ages since in the sand- 
storm, arises. And over the desert a great head 
appears, high as a mountain and the eyes full of great 
sadness. It is Cain, the Lord of the Wilderness. 
About his forehead a serpent is twisted, a serpent his- 
sing. And the camels tremble and men shudder at the 
sound. Beneath his glance shadows of all the cara- 
vans that have fallen by the wayside move past in 
ghostly procession. And the lips of Cain open, and a 
loud, a terrible cry resounds across — ” 

Just as the last words were spoken a loud and 
terrible cry indeed sounded from behind them. The 
camel-drivers shivered and shrank together in a hud- 
dled group, fearing to raise their eyes. The three 
Europeans started involuntarily, and each laid his 
hand on his revolver. They turned in the direction 
from which the sound had come. 

A human head was slowly rising from behind a 
broken wall. In the white moonlight it looked ghostly 
pale and might have been taken for some spirit of the 
wilderness. The camel-drivers rose as if to flee. 
Then suddenly the three Europeans broke into a hearty 
laugh. The natives stopped and looked on in astonish- 
ment at the scene which followed. 

“ Good idea of mine, wasn't it? ” laughed Sleiding, 
climbing over the wall when he saw himself recog- 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


151 

nised. Schmidgruber followed, and the two were 
greeted heartily by their friends of the voyage. 

“ You certainly do look surprised, Professor,” con- 
tinued the Australian, greatly pleased at the sensation 
he had made. Bridgeport, to whom his words were 
addressed, looked bewildered enough, it was true, but 
more by realisation of the complications which the 
coming of the two others would bring about than 
from fright. Sleiding, not waiting for an answer, 
continued to talk. 

“ To tell the truth, we’re both a little surprised to 
find ourselves here. We didn’t intend particularly to 
come in this direction, but having had the pleasure and 
the honour of meeting you on the boat, sir, and of 
hearing of your plans, we thought we should enjoy 
following you more than going anywhere else. We 
will promise not to annoy you in any way, and we 
hope that you do not object to our joining you.” 

“ Oh, certainly not — certainly not,” answered 
Bridgeport, in embarrassment. 

“ And we are delighted to find that some of our 
other fellow passengers have had the same good idea.” 

“ This last fact is a particular pleasure to me,” said 
Schmidgruber, holding out his hand to Tannemore 
and Lund. He had paid little attention to Bridge- 
port. 

“ Wasn’t my scream a great idea?” continued 
Sleiding, laughing. “ Splendid curtain effect — I’ll 
have to make a note of it.” 

They sat talking together for some time, until Clu- 
sius returned to them. He seemed pleased at meeting 
the newcomers and held out his hands to Schmidgruber 
with particular friendliness. The quiet manner of 
the good-natured little Austrian seemed to have made 
a favourable impression on him. Then the members 
of the original party retired to their tents, leaving 
Sleiding and Schmidgruber to partake of a late supper. 


152 


MENE TEKEE 


A few minutes afterwards, Tannemore returned and 
sat down beside them. 

“ Can’t you sleep?” asked Sleiding with a laugh. 
“ Have the ghosts been flitting about your tent and 
shaking its walls? ” 

“Not yet,” answered Tannemore; “but I have a 
question to ask you.” 

“Am I in the way? Do you want to speak with 
Mr. Sleiding alone ? ” asked Schmidgruber, looking at 
the Englishman’s grave face. 

“ No, no. I want to speak to you both. Can you 
tell me if on your way hither, say about nine o’clock, 
you met, or saw, a rider, passing you ? ” 

“ A Bedouin ? ” asked Sleiding. 

“ On a black horse ? ” added Schmidgruber. 

“ Exactly.” 

“ Wearing a red baschlik? ” put in Sleiding. 

“ And a white burnous ? ” Schmidgruber finished the 
sentence as before. 

“ That’s my man,” said the Englishman. 

“Your messenger?” asked Sleiding. 

“No. I ask you kindly not to speak of this meeting 
to any one else. And now I should like to ask you 
if you saw this night rider join any one? ” 

Sleiding and Schmidgruber exchanged a secret 
glance. The Australian took a long puff at his cigar 
and answered casually: “ No, we didn’t see him meet 
anybody. He disappeared from our view between the 
hills.” 

“ Did you meet any other party of travellers on 
your way from Damascus?” 

Again Schmidgruber said nothing and Sleiding 
answered after a second’s pause. “ No. We didn’t 
meet anybody, but we followed a little distance behind 
another caravan. It disappeared in the foothills of 
the Jebel Hajan. The rider may have gone to meet 
them. He went in that direction.” 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 


153 


“ Was it a large caravan? ” 

“ Five travellers and their escort, I believe.” 

. “Indeed? How big was the escort?” Tanne- 
more’s voice had a note of astonishment in it. 

“ About a dozen or so.” 

“ And you don’t know anything about the travellers 
in this caravan ? ” 

“ No, Lord Lomond.” 

“ Many thanks then, and good night.” 

Tannemore returned to his tent and the other two 
sat silent until he had disappeared. 

“ Interesting intrigues can happen even in the desert, 
it appears,” remarked Sleiding, with a pleased ex- 
pression. 

Schmidgruber took his cigar from his mouth and 
looked at his companion reproachfully. “ You seemed 
pleased at it,” he said. “ I compliment you on your 
ability to lie.” 

“ Part of my business,” answered Sleiding. “ Be- 
sides, a gentleman should always be ready to do a 
lady a favour, particularly such a pretty one.” 

“ Much good your politeness will do you,” said 
Schmidgruber. “ Miss Lengdale thinks of nobody but 
Mr. Swendborg.” 

“ That’s where you make a mistake. I must say 
he’d be more to my taste if I were a girl, but the 
young women of nowadays have their heads turned 
by the things they learn in their high schools and 
colleges and they run after anybody who has made a 
reputation for knowledge. It’s the Professor she’s 
after. Didn’t she ask us not to tell him that she was 
following him ? ” 

“ H’m ! A girl like that shouldn’t waste a thought 
on a man with such dreadful hands,” remarked Schmid- 
gruber. “ By the way, talking of hands, do you know 
that I have just pressed the most beautiful, the most 
noble hands that my eyes have ever seen.” 


154 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Do you mean mine ? ” laughed Sleiding, looking 
at them. 

Schmidgruber laughed heartily. “ Put them back 
in your pockets/’ he said. “ You and I had better 
keep still on the question of hands. I’m talking of 
Mr. Digby. I don’t know why I never noticed his 
hands before — they’re exquisite, just to touch them 
is like a blessing. I could love that man. He must 
be a remarkable character; but this doesn’t interest 
you, and you wouldn’t understand it anyhow,” said 
Schmidgruber, ending suddenly. 

“ You don’t seem to be able to understand my admi- 
ration for Professor Clusius,” said Sleiding, shooting 
a quick glance at his companion. 

“ H’m ! ” was Schmidgruber’s only answer. Sleid- 
ing scrambled to his feet and set off in the direction 
of his tent, which their guide had set up. “ Harmless 
sort of crank,” he thought to himself. 

Left alone by the fire Schmidgruber lit a fresh cigar 
and looked out over the shadows of the great ruins. 
“ This Sleiding is one of those smart shallow men,” 
he said. “ It’s just as well I fell in with him; he may 
be useful to me. The plot thickens hereabouts. 
B-r-r ! How cold it is ! I think I’d better walk a bit 
before turning in.” 

He rose and took a turn through the ruins until he 
came to a broad open square in one corner of which 
a group of Bedouins, belonging to Bridgeport’s escort, 
rested in the moonlight. Schmidgruber halted. 
Across the plains a rider came towards him, heading 
directly for the open square. Over the broken marble 
flags that dotted his path here and there, he came 
at a reckless, easy gallop, but with no sound of hoofs. 
The moon was no longer brilliant but still clear enough 
to show the rider’s figure distinctly. 

Schmidgruber watched with intense interest, and 
finally he recognised the white cloak, the black horse 


ERNA MAKES A DISCOVERY 155 


and the handsome Bedouin whom he and Sleiding had 
met earlier that evening. And now he could see too 
why there was no sound from the horse’s hoofs ; — • 
they were wrapped in cloths. 

“ Now, of course, this man may be out on a lover’s 
errand,” said Schmidgruber to himself. “But — hm 
— he’s joined the troop of riders which we saw setting 
out from Damascus with the so-called Professor. 
That alters the matter. And I thought I was taking 
merely a little pleasure-trip, for rest and recreation. 
It will pay to keep an eye on this gentleman of the 
criminal thumbs.” With that he returned to his tent 
and went to sleep. 

Bridgeport lay awake for some time, thinking over 
the complication caused by the arrival of the two men. 

“ I am sorry,” he murmured to himself, “ but it 
wasn’t of my wishing. If anything happens to them, 
it is their own fault . . . but I must send word of 
their arrival.” 


CHAPTER XV 

AN OVATION AMID RUINS 

When Professor Clusius had returned to his friends 
from the temple, Ahmar, the Arab astronomer, ac- 
companied him a part of the distance. The Swedish 
scientist had been conscious of darker shadows skulk- 
ing near them beneath overhanging walls. 

“ Who are those who follow us? ” he asked of his 
companion. 

The old man smiled gently. “ Great friend,” he 
said, “ they are men of Tadmor. To-morrow they 
will kill thee, and those who are with thee.” 

“To-morrow?” exclaimed Clusius in surprise. 
“ Art thou not mistaken, friend ? ” 

Clusius did not believe any attack would be made 
until his experiments had gone far enough to be of 
use to the two rascals who plotted against them. 
Bridgeport and Redfowles were not foolish enough 
to murder without cause or profit to themselves. And 
should he, Clusius, not succeed in his undertaking, his 
presence in Europe alive would be of more importance 
to them than his death. 

“ Art thou not mistaken ? ” he asked again. 

Ahmar shook his head. “ I know whereof I speak,” 
he answered. 

“ And dost thou know why we are to be killed? ” 

“ It is because of a mistake — in thy case I know 
it must be a mistake. A rider reached here yesterday, 
coming from far, with little delay. His horse fell 
dead as he halted before the huts. But the rider was 
made rich by his journey.” 

156 


AN OVATION AMID RUINS 


157 


“ So richly was he paid for the ride?” 

“ It is so. But the man made the ride not for gold 
alone. He is a pious man.” 

“ A pious man ? Who orders murder done ? ” 

“ Yes, it may be so. When those who scorn the 
faith are destroyed by it.” 

“ And in what way have we scorned the faith? ” 

“ The rider told us that ye had defiled the Kaaba.” 

“ And dost thou believe that I would do this thing? ” 

“ I know thou wouldst not. But I do not know thy 
companions.” 

“ They are my friends,” answered Clusius quickly, 
then added : “ That is — the tallest of the three and 

the youngest are both near to my heart. The other 
is a stranger to me, but he has not been accused? ” 

“ He also shall die to-morrow,” said Ahmar. 

Clusius halted and turned around in astonishment. 
“He too?” he repeated. “Art thou sure of that?” 

“ I am. There are four of you — you are all ac- 
cused and condemned. O great friend, do not despise 
the men of Tadmor. They have naught but their 
poverty and their faith, their faith for which they die.” 

“ And for which they murder,” said the Professor 
calmly. 

“ And for which they murder,” repeated the Arab. 
“ He who brought the news inflamed their hearts with 
his words. Ye are to be destroyed, and the wicked 
books and writings which ye carry with you are to be 
given to him who brought the news, in thanks that 
he has told of you to the men of Tadmor.” 

“Oh — that is it then,” murmured the Professor, 
suddenly understanding. 

“ It is not in Tadmor ye shall die,” continued the 
other. “Ye are to fall somewhere far out in the 
desert, where no trace can be found again. But 
listen, my brother ” — here the old man stopped and 
laid his hand on the other’s sleeve — “ I wish to speak 


158 


MENE TEKEL 


truth to thee, and for this I have told thee what is to 
befall. If thou wilt stay here with thy friends and 
thy company, no harm shall come to thee, for here I 
rule. If thou must go from me it will be night in my 
heart, and my eyes will be sad, but wherever thou 
goest thy ways shall be made safe for thee and all thy 
company. And now rest well. I have much to do.” 

The Arabian scholar returned to the temple, and the 
Professor stood for some time in meditation. He was 
greatly surprised at the news he had received. Up to 
this moment he had considered Bridgeport the greater 
rascal of the two, believing Redfowles merely his tool. 
What Ahmar had told him proved that it was Red- 
fowles who was the more to be feared, for he was 
ready to sacrifice not only his enemies but the man 
who considered himself his friend. It was clear that 
Redfowles had hired some fanatic of the desert to 
excite the men of Tadmor to murder. Results for 
him would be less from such a course, but danger 
also would be less, in that Bridgeport too, his fellow 
plotter, would be put out of his way; and he hoped 
to gain enough knowledge of the planned experiments 
from the Professor’s books and writings, to attain 
some measure of success along this line for himself. 

“ A good brain — a remarkably clever rascal,” 
murmured the Professor as he fell asleep. 

Next morning the caravan was awake early and 
soon ready to start. Not one of the natives of Tadmor 
approached to help in the preparations or to say fare- 
well. 

Clusius told Tannemore and Lund the tidings he 
had heard from the old astronomer. The English- 
man told his story of Omar’s midnight ride, adding 
that he had seen the Arab in earnest conversation 
with Bridgeport a little while ago, also what Schmid- 
gruber had told him about the wrapping of the horse’s 
hoofs. They realised that the crisis in their affairs 


AN OVATION AMID RUINS 


159 


might be at hand. All looked to their revolvers, and 
Tannemore examined the state of the general arms 
among the baggage. 

Just before the start Bridgeport joined them with 
an expression of embarrassment on his face. “ Is 
there anything you wish ? ” asked Clusius in a friendly 
tone. He was sorry for the man, now that he knew 
that Bridgeport also was betrayed. 

The latter had come to ask, with much halting em- 
barrassment, whether he might be permitted to con- 
tinue the comedy of the steamer trip as long as the 
two newcomers were with them. When he had finally 
brought out his request Clusius looked at him with 
deep gravity, and answered : “ Please use my name 

as long as you like. It seems to matter very little 
now who is the real Clusius. ,, Then turning to his 
friends he said : “ I am going to bid Ahmar farewell.” 

“ I’m going with you,” said Lund. 

“ Yes, you must not go alone,” said Tannemore. 
The situation as they now saw it was too dangerous. 
They would not let the man who was so dear to them 
both out of their sight for a moment. 

And now, before they had started on their walk to 
the temple, there was a general movement in the 
caravan, and all eyes turned towards the east, from 
whence the noise of many galloping hoofs arose. A 
troop of riders came towards them, gathering recruits 
everywhere as they passed. They stormed towards 
the waiting caravan like thunder rolling through the 
mountains. The escort and the camel-drivers ranged 
themselves in attitudes of defence, and all the European 
travellers drew revolvers. 

At a few yards’ distance, however, the advancing 
riders halted suddenly and dismounted. Their leader 
came forward, looking from one to the other of the 
little group of white men, and stepped in front of 
Clusius. 


i6o 


MENE TEKEL 


“ It is good for my eyes, 0 great one, that they 
may see thee/’ he said, crossing his arms over his 
breast and bowing his head. “ I bring thee here the 
men of Tadmor. They have promised their Sheik 
Ahmar to be faithful to him, and to those who are 
near his heart. We have heard false tales of thee; 
forgive us, O great one. We are no longer thine 
enemies, but thy friends, who will protect thee to the 
nearest waters.” 

“ It is good to hear that the men of Tadmor are no 
longer angry with us,” returned Clusius. “We shall 
be happy to have thee and thy friends guard us a 
little space on our journey.” 

Scarcely had the Bedouin ceased speaking when the 
huts became alive with women and children, who stood 
before the doors waving white cloths or palm leaves. 
Their shouts of delight changed to a song, and their 
ranks parted, leaving an open path through which the 
old Sheik came solemnly forward. He reached out his 
arms and embraced Clusius, kissing him solemnly on 
the forehead. 

“ Go thy way in peace, O friend and master,” he 
said. “ My children will guard thee safely through 
the waste places. And take from me this humble 
gift — the book in which I have written down that 
which I have seen in the desert for many a year.” 

Clusius paused a moment, then answered : “ I have 

nothing now, O noble Sheik, my brother in knowledge, 
which is worthy to give thee. But the moon will not 
return to its fulness many times before I shall send thee 
something, that thou mayest not forget me.” 

A parting embrace and the learned Sheik turned 
back to his temple, passing through the ranks of the 
villagers with a gesture of benediction. 

Suddenly there was another cry of astonishment, and 
the caravan, about to start, halted again, the camels 
grunting and the horses shivering in terror. Two 


AN OVATION AMID RUINS 


161 


immense lions came from the direction of the temple, 
harnessed together by a steel chain and driven by a 
young lad of astonishing beauty, who rode a milk- 
white mare. He guided his strange steeds to the head 
of the caravan and called out: “Thus doth Ahmar, 
the learned Sheik of Tadmor, honour his master and 
friend from the far North. His path shall lead him in 
the footsteps of lions, and the King of Beasts shall 
guard him.” 

Then they started out, the lad and the lions leading 
the way ahead of Davud the guide. The riders of Pal- 
myra circled about the caravan on their horses, and in 
that early morning light Lund’s dazzled eyes beheld 
for the first time the marvellous feats of horseman- 
ship for which the Bedouins of the desert are noted. 
Behind them in the ruins the women waved their palms 
and sang a song of farewell as the travellers departed 
towards the eastern light. 


The Sheik Ahmar stood for a long time at the 
window of his study and watched the caravan as it 
disappeared over the curve of the horizon. 

“ He is gone,” he said to himself ; “ my eyes have 
seen him and at the end of my days a great happiness 
has come unto me.” 

His eyes shone, as he gazed out of the window once 
more. A glimmering light appeared on the eastern 
sky, and high up in the clouds he saw the shapes of 
the caravan mirrored, in gigantic size, the two lions 
and their driver, even the great one himself, in mirage. 

“ Mahaban,” cried Ahmar. “ Blessed am I, for my 
eyes have seen thee once again.” 


CHAPTER XVI 

AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 

The Tadmor riders accompanied the caravan for two 
days. Then with a last salute they turned homeward, 
and the European travellers went on their way 
with their own escort. Davud again led the caravan, 
followed by some of his men. Then came the Pro- 
fessor and Bridgeport, the latter still using his bor- 
rowed name. Tannemore and Lund rode immediately 
behind them, followed by Schmidgruber and Sleiding. 
The remainder of the escort, now quite numerous, 
brought up the rear. The Europeans had exchanged 
their camels for horses, finding the riding less fatigu- 
ing. 

Towards noon that third day the heat grew intense. 
The sun’s rays poured pitilessly from a burnished sky, 
and the yellow sand under foot reflected the glare. 
Man and beast suffered alike. The riders hung in 
their saddles, closing their eyes to shut out the merci- 
less light. They had ridden in silence for nearly an 
hour, when Clusius spoke. 

“ What perfect peace about us in this wilderness,” 
he said. “ Let me take this opportunity to tell those 
of you who are interested something of the principles 
upon which I have been working for my new scientific 
discovery. Are you ready to listen? ” 

His words aroused his friends from their lethargy. 
They prodded their tired horses to close the distance 
between them. Bridgeport sat up with a start, feeling 
that the moment had come for which he had been 
waiting so long. 

162 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 163 

Clusius began : 

“ Before I come to the basic principle of my ex- 
periment I will say a few words of general import, 
which, however, have a direct bearing upon the subject. 
As you all know, successful work in any line is im- 
possible without the aid of the imagination. The 
scientist, the lawyer, the diplomat, need the vision 
just as surely as the artist, the poet. But no man’s 
imagination, to be useful, can be greater than the limit 
of his knowledge, as indeed the imagination is shaped 
and aided by our special knowledge in our particular 
field. And at either end of the scale of our actual 
knowledge there are measures of space and substance, 
of which we may dream but which we cannot visualise. 
Here it is, however, that our imagination can take 
wing and soar for a little distance, at least, out into 
the Unknown. Follow me with your imaginations 
then, while I aid it with known facts. 

“ Now we all know that material bodies change 
their size under the influence of heat. And we all 
know the reason for the change in the action of heat 
on the molecules, the atoms and the intermolecular 
spaces. These intermolecular spaces are filled with a 
substance of incalculable delicacy, cether, we call it. 
It is the medium through which heat and light are 
carried, and its vibrations transmit them through from 
one atom, from one molecule to another. When the 
electrical or magnetic processes set these aether atoms 
into vibration, and they react on the vibrating mole- 
cules of any material body, the united effect of the 
double vibrations produces light and heat. 

“ The vibrations of the sun’s gases give out four to 
eight hundred tiny shocks each. The vibrating sether 
waves take them up and transmit them, let us say, to 
the red cover of this Baedeker which I hold in my 
hand. Then something very interesting happens. 
The vibrations of the sun-gases are not all alike. 


164 


MENE TEKELJ 


Therefore, the vibrations of the aether atoms that strike 
the book cover are unequal. Those waves of light 
which make four hundred and fifty billion vibrations 
a second, look red to our eyes ; these light atoms strike 
the atoms of the book cover moving at a different pace, 
and are thrown back, reflecting the red color directly 
into our eyes. Now there are other waves, moving at 
five hundred and ninety billion vibrations a second, 
which throw off a green light. These sink into the 
book cover, are absorbed and we do not see them. 
We all see the red light, and it is so strong that it is 
reflected on any object within its reach. Let me hold 
the book so that its reflected light will fall directly on 
the neck of my horse. 

“ Now if the vibrations of the surface atoms of the 
horse’s neck were moving in harmony with those of 
the reflected light, red would be the colour reflected 
here also. But, as you see, the horse’s neck is brown 
and the. waves of red light have been absorbed, have 
gone down through the intermolecular spaces to a sub- 
stratum of atoms. This substratum, not being so con- 
stantly under the influence of the outer light, has a 
different force and influence in its atoms. They do 
not retain the picture brought down to them; they de- 
stroy it. The light-picture of the Baedeker has gone 
down into the inner surface of the horse’s neck and 
has been destroyed there. But the very effort of de- 
struction has brought about a different rate of vibra- 
tion. 

“Now — and here comes the kernel of my theory — 
now if a species of aetheral gas could be constructed, 
the atomic vibrations of which could be added to the 
vibrations of the subsurface atoms, and thus restore 
to them their condition before the entrance of the light 
from outside, the process of the change would influ- 
ence the aether of the intermolecular spaces, and the 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 165 

red light received by them would be reflected to our 
eyes again. As long as the influence of this gas 
lasted we could see the picture of the Baedeker here 
on my horse’s neck, and see it clear enough to photo- 
graph it. 

“ Science tells us that there are three million strata 
of atoms in a body one millimetre thick. If then 
a particular body received about three hundred light 
impressions a day — which is the average — then a 
body twenty centimetres thick would contain six hun- 
dred million atomic strata. It offers a field from 
which, with the proper medium, we can draw out the 
pictures of over four thousand years, draw them out 
and photograph them by their own light. The new 
gas which I have compounded will influence the sur- 
face from the outside in. Therefore the latest pic- 
tures will be seen first, then the older ones. . . .” 

Clusius paused abruptly, leaned over and caught 
Lund’s arm just as the latter was about to topple off 
his horse. Deep embarrassment struggled with deadly 
lassitude in the young assistant’s face. He tried to 
open his eyes, but they seemed locked as if by a cramp. 
Finally he managed to pull himself together, and stam- 
mered: “ Oh, yes, sir — you were speaking of the 
sun’s gases — ” 

“ And a few other things besides,” said the Pro- 
fessor, smiling. “ But you can read my lecture ; I’ve 
written most of it out.” 

“ Oh, please, let me read it. I don’t know what 
was the matter with me. Please forgive me ? ” 

“ It was my fault, my dear Hjalmar,” answered 
Clusius. “ I should have known better than to hold 
forth on a scientific subject on such a hot day. And 
after our shaking up on those odious camels, the gentle 
pace of our Arab steeds is like a rocking-chair. Now 
1, too, can say that for once my audience went to sleep 


1 66 


MENE TEKEL 


while I was lecturing. Wake up the others as gently 
as you can and tell them that I’m truly sorry to have 
added to the burden of their fatigue.” 

Clusius nodded amiably to his still bewildered as- 
sistant, touched the whip to his horse and forged ahead 
at a quick canter. Lund looked after him with awe 
and admiration. How little physical discomfort 
seemed to influence that fragile, aging body, dominated 
by such a mighty mind and powerful will ! He 
thought of his own young strength and how he had 
suffered from the hot ride, and it seemed indeed in- 
credible that the other, older man should be so calm, 
so completely master of himself. 

He looked back at his companions. They all hung 
listless in their saddles, apparently asleep, saved from 
falling only by the rhythmic, easy gait of their well- 
trained horses. Lund blushed at the thought that he 
himself must have looked just as foolish but a few 
moments ago. 

“ By Saint Olaf of Gulbrandsdal ! ” he cried, touch- 
ing Tannemore’s arm, “wake up, friend! We slept 
through the whole lecture! Wake up, gentlemen, we 
have lost all that Professor — that Mr. Digby was 
telling us.” 

They were all awake now, staring about them. 

“Why did you wake me?” exclaimed Schmid- 
gruber; “I was having such a beautiful nap.” 

“ Did I lose anything? ” asked Sleiding alarmed. 

“ Everything! Most interesting lecture, full of new 
thoughts and ideas.” 

“ For pity’s sake, do tell me what he said,” cried 
the Australian. 

“ Deuce take it — I was asleep myself,” grunted 
Lund. 

Tannemore was too deeply ashamed of himself to 
say a word. It was unendurable, the thought that he 
should have fallen asleep during the explanation of a 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 167 


theory which was to revolutionise science — to save 
his own life, and honour, dearer to him than life. He 
could not understand it at all. 

Half an hour later “ Mr. Digby ” returned to the 
caravan, fresh, unheated, and calm as ever. He ap- 
peared not to notice the embarrassment of the others. 

“ Friends, I have made a discovery which may be 
of importance,” he announced. “ There are some 
mounted Arabs circling around us at a distance, and 
I think they are following us. It would be well to 
consult our faithful Davud on the subject.” 

He and Tannemore rode forward to the head of 
the caravan. “ Allah alone knows all,” said the Arab, 
turning his gloomy eyes upon them when they had 
scarcely uttered their greeting. “ But I know what 
thou art come to say to me now. Bedouins are watch- 
ing us. There are but few hereabouts, but they are 
spies of the Rowali, to whom news came of us in 
Tadmor. Ahmar, the learned one, has honoured thee 
as one honours princes, and this came to the ears of 
the Rowali. They are dogs and sons of dogs, robbers 
and plunderers on the high roads. They have but 
four men more than we, and therefore they are afraid 
— afraid of us while we are awake.” 

“ Thou art a good guide, Davud, and a wise counsel- 
lor. What would thou have us to do? Is there a 
shelter for our night camp?” 

“ We cannot reach Bagdad by nightfall,” answered 
the guide. “ We must rest in the desert, but it can 
be by the grave of Ezekiel, the prophet of the Jews.” 

“ By the sweet waters,” said Tannemore. 

“ Beneath the three tall palms,” added Clusius. 

“ Will the grave serve us as fortress or stockade? ” 
asked Lund, who had joined them. 

Davud crossed his arms over his breast and gazed 
up at the sky as if in prayer. “ An honest battle is 
good,” he said. The Koran saith: 4 He whose feet 


MENE TEKEL 


1 68 

bear the dust of the Lord’s battle will be saved from 
the torture on the day of the great judgment.’ But 
the Holy Book says also : ‘ Man shall not battle where 

lie the dead — a grave is a place of peace.’ ” 

“ Then it is thy advice that we keep the peace at 
the grave of the prophet Ezekiel?” asked Clusius. 

“ And not defend ourselves ? ” queried Lund doubt- 
fully. 

“ Let him talk,” whispered Tannemore in English ; 
“ there’s something else on his mind, some local super- 
stition.” 

“ The grave of Ezekiel is a holy place, and a place 
of terrors,” continued the guide. “ It is wide and 
high and has a tiny portal. The Jews tell us that 
this door was once much smaller, so small that a man 
must creep in on hands and knees if he would enter 
there. But once, on a high feast day for the Jews, 
the door became so wide and tall that one might ride 
in on a camel. And after that it is as one sees it 
now. It is better one does not do battle in such a 
place.” 

The caravan reached the grave that evening. It 
was an ancient building of stone, with a bubbling 
spring shaded by three stately palms, beyond which 
rose tamarisks. The tents were pitched near the 
walls, and the travellers made themselves comfortable 
for the evening, after seeing that the proper sentries 
were placed at a considerable distance out in the desert. 

Later in the evening Lund asked the Professor, in 
humble embarrassment, if he would repeat what he 
had said to them that morning, which they had stupidly 
lost. 

The Professor sat in silence a moment and then 
answered : “ It was only the principle of my work 

that I described to you this morning. Many un- 
expected complications appear in practice, so that it 
would hardly be worth your while to go over the 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 169 

theory again. But I can try some practical experi- 
ments here if you wish.” 

The three arose and went to their own particular 
baggage, which had been set up by the door of the 
tomb. They put the photographic apparatus together 
and fitted it out with the prepared paper, taking it 
into the interior of the little building. While Lund 
and Tannemore were bringing the bottles and instru- 
ments necessary, the Professor was searching up and 
down the inner wall by the light of his electric lamp. 

“ Now we can use some of the new gases which I 
prepared at home,” he said. “ Hjalmar, will you 
kindly give me the bottle marked KL? Thanks. 
And now SSB. There, that will do to bring out the 
light. Now for the colour, which is more important. 
Now please give me NNZ.” 

The Professor’s voice trembled with an emotion 
he did not try to conceal. 

Lund bent over the basket where the chemicals had 
been placed. He sought among those still remaining 
there, and an expression of distress came over his 
face as he could not find what he wanted. He opened 
box after box, all carefully ticketed, until the basket 
was empty of its contents. Then he put them all back 
one by one while his hands trembled. 

“ Don’t be nervous,” said the Professor; “ take time 
for it ; the bottle will be found somewhere. You have 
probably overlooked it in this dim light.” 

“ I’ll go through the basket again,” said Lund, his 
voice trembling now. 

The bottle sought was not there, and Lund looxed 
up at the others in despair. 

“ It is probably in another basket,” said the Pro- 
fessor gently. Tannemore took out an envelope and 
drew from it the list of contents of their various 
pieces of baggage, as packed in Damascus. 

“ Basket No. 1 ” he read, and then continued the 


170 


MENE TEKEL 


list of contents. There was no NNZ among them. 

“ Basket No. 2 is the only other one with chemicals/’ 
said the Professor calmly; ‘‘let us hear what is in 
that?” 

“No,” said Tannemore hoarsely; “it’s not noted 
here.” 

“ We’d better go through the basket, though,” said 
the Professor. “ We were hurried in Damascus, and 
we may have forgotten to note it down.” 

Lund started and stopped in his occupation of open- 
ing basket No. 2, halted so abruptly that he knelt there 
holding a bottle in his half-raised hand. 

“ Is this it? ” asked Clusius, low. 

“No, it is not,” gasped Lund. 

“ We couldn’t have lost it in Damascus,” exclaimed 
Tannemore ; “ look further.” 

But Lund made no attempt to look further. He let 
the bottle which he held drop back into its place, and 
his arms fell to his sides. 

“ Be calm, Hjalmar,” said the Professor. “ Think 
it over a moment and you will remember where you 
put it.” 

“ That’s just it,” said Lund, in a hoarse whisper, 
“ I didn’t pack it at all.” He dropped down over the 
basket, his face buried in his hands. There was a 
second’s intense stillness in the tomb. 

“I’ll ride back to Damascus at once and find the 
bottle,” said Tannemore. 

Lund looked up at him, his eyes full of despair. 
“ That will do us no good,” he said ; “ the bottle is 
not in Damascus, but in Stockholm. I left it there, 
the bottle NNZ. It is on the right-hand corner of 
your desk, Professor.” 

“ In Stockholm ? On my desk ? ” repeated Clusius. 
“ That means that it is lost to us,” and he smiled sadly, 
while his eyes showed his disappointment although 
there was no anger in them. Tannemore put both 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 171 

hands in his pockets that the others might not see how 
tightly they were clenched, and his lips shut firm over 
his strong white teeth. Lund cowered by the basket 
again, his face in his hands. 

Finally the Professor spoke : “ This decides the 

result of our work. We shall still succeed, but in less 
measure than I had hoped. We can see light and 
shadow, although we cannot produce colour. And 
now please let me have the lamp again. I need it 
here.” 

Busily the three worked inside the old tomb, unheed- 
ing the happenings of the outer world. Suddenly 
there was a noise which caught their attention, ab- 
sorbed as they were. There was a shout, then another 
and another, and a bustle as of moving animals. 

“What is it?” called Lund, opening the door. 
Their experiments ended, the apparatus was repacked. 

“ The Rowali are coming — over a hundred of 
them,” cried Davud. “ My scout has just brought the 
word — a large troop of them is moving on us.” 

“ This is a good place to stay and meet them, isn’t 
it ? ” asked Lund. In his disgust with his own remiss- 
ness he would have welcomed the excitement of a fight. 

“No — not here — the Rowali are dogs. They 
respect not the dwellings of the dead and are stronger 
than we. In the desert they may lose our trail.” 

“ He is right,” said Tannemore. “ Our super- 
stitious escort would be of little assistance to us here. 
Give the order to break camp, Davud.” 

All night they rode in close formation, a strong 
force of Bedouins bringing up the rear, the travellers 
holding their rifles in readiness. From time to time 
a rider shot like an arrow far back into the desert, 
and returned again to inform Davud that the foe had 
apparently been outdistanced or lost the trail. When 
morning broke the horizon was clear in all directions. 


172 


MENE TEHEE 


“ That’s strange,” said Tannemore. “ Why should 
they have given us up so easily when they were 
stronger than we?” 

“ They are cowardly dogs,” said Davud. “ They 
must be three to one ere they will attack by day. But 
now, O protector, we are far off our chosen path, and 
beyond the road that leads to Bagdad. Shall we turn 
back?” 

“ No,” said Tannemore; “ if the Rowali are spying 
upon us it were better that we press on with as little 
delay as possible towards Hilleh.” 

That night they slept in the open, fearing even to 
pitch the tents, as there was still danger of a night 
attack. But to their surprise none of the scouts sent 
out, circling the horizon, had seen any sign of hostile 
Arabs. 

The start was made early the following morning 
in the direction of Hilleh, the native village which 
hides its squalor among the mighty ruins of Babylon. 

“Did you ever believe water could be so good?” 
remarked Schmidgruber to Sleiding as they rode along. 

“Where did you get any water?” asked the Aus- 
tralian in surprise. 

“ I didn’t ; that’s why I spoke,” replied the other. 
“If camping in the open and drinking the juice of 
preserved fruits when there isn’t any water, is travel- 
ling for pleasure — then I think I’ve had all I want.” 

“ You’re getting thinner by the minute, if that’s any 
comfort to you,” said Sleiding, with a laugh. 

“ Yes, it’s some comfort. And if farming doesn’t 
pay I know how I could earn good money right here. 
I would start a sanitarium for inebriates. After a 
week or two in this sort of climate they’d hate the 
very sight of alcohol and sell their souls for a glass 
of water.” 

“ By Jove, that’s a first rate idea,” cried Sleiding. 
“ What will you sell it to me for ? ” 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 173 

“ You can have it for nothing,” said Schmidgruber 
sadly. “ For I doubt if either of us will ever get out 
of this place alive.” 

“ Maybe not. But I might as well have an eye to 
business.” 

The German laughed and pushed ahead to where 
Clusius and Lund stood before an oddly shaped, many 
tipped sand hill. 

“ It’s a Tel,” the Professor was explaining. 

“ What is a Tel?” asked Schmidgruber. 

“ A Tel is the grave of a lost city, or perhaps only 
of a village, deserted and forgotten, and gradually 
covered by the sand drifts.” It was Tannemore who 
answered. 

While the caravan was slowly passing the Tel, the 
Englishman dropped off his horse, poked about in the 
sand and then picked up something. 

“ What did you find ? ” asked Schmidgruber, who 
was waiting for him. 

Tannemore showed a well-preserved clay tablet 
bearing traces of cuneiform writing on its surface. 
“ You can find hundreds of them in Babylon.” 

“After all these centuries?” asked Schmidgruber, 
“ I understand that you gentlemen are learned in such 
matters. Are these marks really meant for writing, 
or are they only ornamentation ? ” 

“ They were considered such up to a hundred years 
ago, but we know now that they are meant for writing. 
However, our friend the Professor here — ” they were 
riding immediately behind Bridgeport — “ can tell you 
all about it. He is an authority on the subject, and 
has made remarkable discoveries in that line.” 

“ Indeed ? ” Schmidgruber bowed, seeming greatly 
impressed. “Remarkable discoveries you say?” 

“ Yes, most remarkable,” continued Tannemore, 
with an irony that was not hidden from either of his 
companions. “ It was that noted scholar Grotefend 


174 


MENE TEKEL 


who first proved to us that the inscriptions were indeed 
written messages. And he showed us also that there 
are three forms of hieroglyphic writing.” 

“ Grotefend did not know of the fourth kind as 
seen on the newly discovered tablets now in the British 
Museum,” interrupted Bridgeport. 

“ Exactly, and we are here now to study the com- 
position of this newly discovered writing — if indeed 
it be proved genuine.” Tannemore’s voice was steely 
hard. 

“ Oh, indeed ; then you are travelling in the same 
purpose as Professor Clusius.” Schmidgruber looked 
most innocent and not a little bewildered. 

“ Quite the same,” replied Tannemore. “ But, of 
course, I should explain that we are this gentleman’s 
opponents in the matter.” 

Bridgeport sat up stiffly in his saddle. Drawing 
in the reins he started his horse into a quick canter, 
not deigning to say another word. 

The German looked after him with a glint of steel 
in his keen grey eyes, out of which all the innocent 
bewilderment of a moment before had vanished. 
Pulling his horse nearer the Englishman’s, he spoke 
in a lower tone than before. 

“ Lord Tannemore, my theory regarding the shape 
and expression of the hands is as sound as ever. That 
man’s thumbs would mark him for a criminal any- 
where. A man who steals another’s name is a 
criminal, is he not? ” 

Tannemore started at hearing himself called by his 
own name. “ I could almost wish you hadn’t dis- 
covered it,” he said in slight irritation. He believed 
that something he himself had said had revealed the 
secret of their incognito. “ It must have been my 
own carelessness.” 

“ Oh, no, don’t distress yourself on that score, my 
lord,” said Schmidgruber quietly. “ I did not believe 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 175 

in that man on the Pandora. It scarcely needed the 
scene in Tadmor to show me who is the most notable 
personality among us. And then when I had seen 
his hands — the hands of the real Clusius ! How you 
must have laughed to yourself at the comedy on the 
ship.” 

“ We were a little angry too.” 

“ But your anger was evidently not so great as the 
reasons which prevented you from unmasking the 
impostor.” 

“ You are right there.” 

“ There is something else I should like to say to 
you,” continued Schmidgruber. “ You remember the 
Bedouin rider about whom you questioned us the even- 
ing of our arrival ? His name is Omar, and he belongs 
to the escort of this man who has just left us.” 

“ Exactly.” 

“ Very well, then. Now during the evening that 
we spent at the tomb of the Prophet I made some 
observations regarding this Omar which might interest 
you. First of all he was apparently very anxious to 
be made sentry that evening. But your friend Davud 
was just as anxious to prevent it, for Davud is as 
distrustful of the handsome Omar as we are.” 

“ You are a good observer, Mr. Schmidgruber.” 

Schmidgruber smiled a quiet little smile and went 
on. “ Well, on that evening, while you were inside 
the tomb, I sat at the fire with the others. Our friend 
here, who uses another man’s name, rose and left us 
after a while, wandering apparently aimlessly about 
the camp. Finally he disappeared behind a sand hill 
in the direction in which I had seen Omar go. He 
was not gone long, and sat near us when he returned. 
It was dark, but I caught a glimpse of his face, and I 
must say I liked it as little as I do his thumbs. Then 
he went into his tent, and I strolled off to see where 
he had been.” 


176 


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“ Why? ” asked Tannemore. 

“ Natural curiosity, possibly. I looked over the 
edge of the sand hill and saw Omar cowering on the 
ground, counting out the money from two purses 
which he held. He weighed and counted it, then 
finally satisfied himself that one was very much 
heavier than the other.” 

“ And what does this mean, in your opinion ? ” 
asked Tannemore. 

“ It is very clear, is it not ? The Arab is being paid 
by two different parties, and if I judge the character 
of these simple children of the soil aright, he will 
eventually do the bidding of the party who pays the 
higher. Now, it does not take much combination to 
realise that one of these parties is somewhere in the 
direction towards which he rides on his midnight 
errands. Also, you will have observed that that is 
the direction from which the invasion of Rowali 
threatened.” 

“ Exactly,” said Tannemore, “ and you are quite 
right in your belief that the man who paid the Rowali 
is in that direction.” 

“One man alone? There is no solitary traveller 
following us.” 

“ Possibly he may have joined a caravan.” 

“ Then you were not aware that Mr. Lengdale and 
his party are following in our footsteps ? ” 

“ No, indeed,” said Tannemore quickly; “that is a 
surprise to me.” 

“We met them in Kurietain, and Miss Lengdale 
asked us not to mention the fact if we should fall in 
with your party.” 

Tannemore laughed openly now. “ That’s easy to 
understand,” he said. “ She wants to surprise us, 
or rather one of us. When does she intend to 
appear ? ” 

“ In Nineveh, I believe.” 


AN AUDIENCE THAT FELL ASLEEP 177 

“ Then my young friend will find Nineveh doubly 
interesting/’ 

“ Yes, my lord — unless some deviltry interferes.” 

“What do you mean?” asked Tannemore quickly. 

“ I mean that the Lengdale caravan is following us 
in the direction from which the Rowali came; and 
that in their party there is a stranger who joined them 
in Damascus.” 

“ Did you see him? ” 

“ I caught only a glimpse of him in Kurietain. He 
kept out of the way most carefully. But from that 
glimpse I should describe him as in the late forties, of 
medium height, muscular, reddish hair, just a little 
cross-eyed. His hands are ugly and hairy.” 

“ Redfowles! ” exclaimed Tannemore. 

“ He calls himself John Walker,” corrected Schmid- 
gruber. 

“ Calls himself? You must have seen by this time 
that there’s very little dependence on what a man calls 
himself — on this trip at least.” 

The Austrian’s grey eyes twinkled. “ Very true, 
my lord. It seems to be a game of hide-and-seek on 
this journey, with all of us. Then this man Walker’s 
real name is Redfowles and Redfowles is — ” 

“Redfowles is — the man we have most to fear. 
But you’ve seen so much I might as well tell you 
why it is that these men are hounding us, this Red- 
fowles and the man who is with us here under a false 
name.” 

In a few hasty sentences Tannemore gave his com- 
panion the principal points of their story, including 
what he had learned on the ship from Smithson. 
Schmidgruber listened gravely, his eyes lighting up 
now and then. 

“ Then this Oriental with the alias is Bridgeport, 
and he is working together with Redfowles. As far 
as I can make out, you need no further justification 


178 


MENE TEKEL 


for your stand, Lord Tannemore. The actions of 
these men prove their villainy/’ 

“ Ah, yes, but the world must have a material proof. 
And that is what my great friend has promised to find 
for me.” 

“ That’s the part I can’t understand — but then I am 
no scientist. The human side of it is what interests 
me. And now let me tell you, Omar was off again 
last night ; — he was gone scarcely an hour.” 

“ Did he speak to Bridgeport on his return ? ” 

“ I think not. For this morning I saw him making 
signs to the other, as if he were trying to say that he 
had delivered something to somebody.” 

“ H’m,” grunted Tannemore, and fell into deep 
thought. 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE CAPTURE 

All that day Lund had ridden alone, apart from the 
others. He could not seem to overcome the depres- 
sion into which his forgetfulness had thrown him. 
Neither the Professor nor Tannemore had mentioned 
the matter again, had indeed both tried their best to 
cheer up the young assistant; but even the following 
morning he remained gloomy and silent. 

The midday rest was taken in a large field of ruins, 
the towering walls of which gave a welcome shelter 
from the sun’s heat. While the others sat about, 
resting, Clusius and Tannemore rode their horses 
through the ruins towards the centre of the dead city. 
The mighty walls of a great temple in an excellent 
state of preservation attracted them. Lund, who was 
sitting alone brooding, took their horses while they 
climbed on over the great heaps of fallen stone. In 
ten minutes they had reached the temple, and Clusius 
led the way to a wall which was still standing, and 
on the surface of which one could plainly see traces of 
inscriptions and hieroglyphic pictures. The two scien- 
tists rubbed the sand from the wall as well as they 
could. 

“ This looks like Polychrome,” said Tannemore 
delighted. 

“If we had our chemicals here we could find out at 
once,” answered the Professor. “ Let us clear away 
as much as we can. If things hold out like this it 
will be worth while remaining here several days. 
There is no reason why we shouldn’t make our final 
179 


i8o 


MENE TEKEL 


experiments here as well as in Babylon, provided water 
can be found, so that we can make camp.” 

“ The sand lies high here,” said Tannemore, kneel- 
ing down and scraping at the walls with his pocket- 
knife. “ Half the picture at least is buried.” 

Soon they were both on their knees in the sand, 
and dug and scraped with their hands or loose stones. 
Little mounds grew steadily on either side of them. 
They seemed to forget the rest of the world completely. 

Suddenly the Professor started. “ What’s that?” 
he exclaimed. 

“ Redfowles ! ” cried a voice behind him, and at 
the same time a muscular hand pressed him flat upon 
the sand. Tannemore, too, turning to rise, was 
struck down by a blow on the head. 

Simultaneously twenty Arabs appeared from behind 
the wall, and in a moment had both men bound hand 
and foot and quite helpless. It had all come about 
so suddenly that even Tannemore, trained to quick 
action as he was, had not had time to defend himself 
or his friend. 

“ If either of you speaks a word,” Redfowles 
warned them, “ the other will be shot.” The two 
revolvers which the Arabs had taken from the prison- 
ers he thrust into his own pockets. “ I have your 
weapons, as you see,” he continued, “ and I think you 
will be quiet for a while. I will invite you to follow 
me.” 

The Arabs lifted the prisoners and carried them 
through the ruins in a direction opposite to that in 
which their own party were settled. Tannemore 
shivered with impotent indignation and rage. He 
knew that one cry would attract Lund’s attention and 
the camp be alarmed in a moment and come to their 
assistance. But he knew the man in whose power 
they were; it was quite true that if one cry came from 
his lips death would be meted out to Clusius. 


THE CAPTURE 


181 


Redfowles came up beside him and spoke again: 
“ Another thing, gentlemen. If any of your following 
hear us and interfere with us, I shall see myself com- 
pelled to kill you both.” 

“To murder us,” corrected the Professor calmly. 

“ As you will, the result is the same,” sneered Red- 
fowles. 

When they reached the edge of the ruined city they 
came to a little group of camels watched over by 
several more Arabs. They were a full half hour now 
from the place in which they had been captured. 
Under orders from Redfowles the Bedouins helped 
them up into the saddles of the camels. Then the 
Irishman spoke again to his captives : 

“ Then, you remember, gentlemen, that a single 
word from either of you, except in answer to a ques- 
tion, will cost the other his life? I may as well add 
that a single suspicious movement will have the same 
effect. As I see you understand me, I will loosen your 
fetters.” 

Upon that the hands and arms of his captives were 
freed, so that they could take more comfortable po- 
sitions in the saddle. The party rode for at least 
an hour onward through the sand at a rapid pace, till 
finally the banks of the Euphrates were reached and a 
halt was called. The prisoners were lifted down from 
the camels, and the thongs on their ankles loosened 
sufficiently to permit them to take short steps. Sur- 
rounded by the Arabs, Redfowles led them a few yards 
further, where stood a deserted hut formerly used by 
the river sentry. It was a small stone building window- 
less, the door the only opening, the roof partly in 
ruins. Into this the two captives were pushed, and ten 
of the Arabs, with knives in their hands, sat down in 
the sand outside, on guard. 

In the interior the broken roof gave little protection 
from the glare and heat of the sun. Clusius sat down 


MENE TEKEL 


182 

in the darkest corner and motioned Tannemore to join 
him. The Englishman’s teeth were set and his eyes 
gleamed red, but the famous scientist kept his usual 
gentle calm, and his eyes were clear and quiet. He 
held out his hand to his friend and smiled in en- 
couragement. 

Redfowles entered the hut, and with a look of grim 
hatred began to speak to them. 

“ I’m very sorry, gentlemen,” he said, “ that you 
should have come thus far for nothing. You could 
have been just as useful to me at home. And I am 
equally sorry that it will not be possible for me to 
compensate you for the discomfort and expense of 
your journey. I can only hope you will carry pleasant 
impressions with you out of this world. Well, why 
don’t you speak? ” he demanded, after a pause. Then 
as they were still silent, “ Answer me ! ” he com- 
manded. 

“ Gladly, if we have your permission to do so,” 
said Clusius. 

Redfowles laughed. “ Oh, yes, I forgot that it was 
fear for your lives that kept you silent.” 

“ Fear for the Professor’s life,” said Tannemore 
angrily. 

“ Fear for my friend’s life,” explained Clusius 
gently. 

“ Well, neither life is worth much now,” remarked 
their captor. “ Have you nothing to say to me, Lord 
Tannemore ? ” 

“ Nothing,” said Tannemore, looking up at the roof. 

But Clusius looked carefully at the man who stood 
before them. “ So this is Redfowles,” he said with 
unconcealed interest. 

“ Yes, I am Redfowles,” said the other. “ And 
now I will explain at once what I want of you both.” 
He clapped his hands, and when an Arab appeared, 
commanded, “ Bring in the table and the other things.” 


THE CAPTURE 


183 

Two Bedouins brought in a rug and spread it out in 
the middle of the room. A third set up a low folding 
camp-table and placed on it a lacquered box richly 
ornamented in silver. Redfowles opened the box and 
took out writing materials. 

“ Gentlemen, will you take your places ? ” he said, 
motioning to the carpet in front of the table. “ Make 
yourselves comfortable. There is no particular use 
in conventional politeness at such a time. I have your 
weapons, as you know. Twenty armed men surround 
the house; men who obey my slightest word. You 
can not move two steps out of this door with safety. 
Neither force nor cunning will help you. Do you 
realise that ? ” 

“ I think we do,” replied the Professor. “ But you 
are in danger yourself. A scorpion has just crawled 
up your sleeve. You had better get rid of it. It was 
the most poisonous kind, and in heat like this its bite 
would mean death, or at least long illness.” 

Redfowles sprang to his feet and dashed out of the 
hut, tearing off his coat and shaking it violently. 
Stamping the scorpion in the sand thoroughly, he came 
back and continued his speech as if nothing had 
happened. 

“ I am taking it for granted that men of brains like 
you will not waste your energy in useless endeavours 
to escape; also that you will waste no time in idle 
reproaches, but come at once to the mattter of which 
I wish to speak to you.” 

“ The sooner you come to it yourself, the better we 
shall be pleased,” said the Professor. “We do not 
wish to be too long delayed in returning to our camp.” 

Redfowles looked at him in surprise. “ Professor 
Clusius,” he remarked, “ I am astonished that a man 
of your dignity should be willing to end his life in 
silly jesting. Listen to me, now. I know the plans 
that brought you to Mesopotamia ; I know the principle 


184 


MENE TEKEL 


as well as the details of your new discovery, for I am 
in possession of the manuscript containing all your 
memoranda on this journey. It is certainly most 
interesting and extremely instructive.” 

Now for the first time Clusius looked a little uneasy. 
Redfowles opened his box again, and took from it a 
big note-book which he laid on the table. Tannemore 
could see that Clusius was excited in spite of his quiet 
demeanour, for the book before them was undoubtedly 
the one that contained all his recent notes. 

“ You recognise this book, Professor? ” asked Red- 
fowles. 

“ I do,” said Clusius, his voice hard and cold. “ I 
had thought your friend Bridgeport a rascal of a 
rather higher type. Now I see that he is just an 
ordinary thief.” 

“ Whatever comes handiest,” said Redfowles cynic- 
ally. “ Yes, Bridgeport stole the book and sent it to me 
last night, just like an ordinary thief. One can’t forge 
Assyrian antiquities every day, you know. Anyway, 
Bridgeport has his limitations. He would be nothing 
without me. And now, gentlemen, as you see, I am 
in possession of the important details of your new 
discovery. Also, besides the men around the hut, 
there are forty-five other Bedouins in my service. 
They are now in the neighbourhood of Babylon. 
When your caravan reaches that place — ” 

“ It will be destroyed — including Bridgeport,” the 
Professor finished the sentence. 

Redfowles looked at him surprised. “ And how 
did you know that ? ” he asked. 

“ What does it matter to you how I learned it, as 
long as I did learn it ? ” 

“ Yes, that’s true,” said Redfowles; “it matters 
very little. Very well then, your entire caravan, 
including Bridgeport, will be destroyed, and I shall be 


THE CAPTURE 


185 

in sole possession of the valuable information you 
had planned to give the world yourself.” 

‘ You will be but you are not yet,” remarked Clusius. 

“ Very true,” said Redfowles; “ that’s why I have 
brought you here. There is one thought missing, a 
thought which I know that you have worked out, but 
have not yet written down. Perhaps you remember 
that on that rainy evening when you sat in your smok- 
ing-room at home with your friend here and your 
assistant, you said to them, 4 All Mesopotamia will be 
like a mirror for us. We will release shadows of the 
past, we. shall see lost colours; we shall — but that is 
only conjecture as yet. I cannot say decisively that it 
can be done/ ” 

And how do you know that those were my 
words ? ” asked Clusius, interested. 

Redfowles bowed politely. 44 An agent of mine sat 
in the top of the beautiful linden tree just outside your 
window.” 

Ah, indeed? ” said the Professor ; 44 then what is it 
you want of me now? ” 

“ I want to know that last link. It is not noted in 
this book, is it? ” 

44 No, it is not.” 

44 Ah, then, there is still something precious in your 
mind,” cried Redfowles in admiration. 44 This thing 
will mean much to me — you are a remarkable man! 
Professor. You are a giant in the world of science. 
And now will you kindly dictate to me that other 
thought which is not yet written down in your book ? ” 

“ You expect me to do this ? ” asked Clusius. 

“ I can compel you to do it.” 

44 How?” 

44 There are various ways. You may listen to 
reason, for instance. You know that you will both 
of you die, here and now. Are you willing, as a sci- 


1 86 


MENE TEKEL 


entist, to let this work die with you, as it certainly will 
if you do not complete it ? ” 

“ That would be a pity.” 

“ I knew you would agree with me. Nothing that 
you have ever done has been done for your own sake 
— for your own sake alone. You have always 
worked for the good of mankind. Or, possibly, for 
fame.” 

“ My fame can certainly be no thought of yours at 
this moment, Mr. Redfowles. As I understand it you 
are planning to take not only the money which my 
invention will bring you, but the fame as well; you 
intend to give yourself out as the discoverer of it.” 

“ I shall have to. If I published the matter in your 
name, the world might connect me with your disap- 
pearance.” 

“ Suppose I refuse to give you this last thought, with- 
out which the rest is useless ? ” 

Redfowles gnawed his lips for a moment, then re- 
plied : “ Oh, no, you will not refuse it. What scien- 

tist worthy the name would refuse to give to the world 
an important and useful discovery, merely because 
he himself would receive no advantage from it? 
Could any scientist worthy the name be so selfish ? ” 

For a few moments there was complete silence in 
the river sentry’s hut. A faint groan that sounded 
like a muttered oath from Tannemore, was the only 
sound heard. The Professor’s eyes closed and his 
face showed that he was pondering deeply. Finally 
he looked up and spoke : “ No, no scientist worthy 

the name would ever keep back from the world, for 
whatever consideration, a useful and important dis- 
covery.” His eyes shone, and his face was illumined 
as if by a light from within. 

Tannemore sprang up now. “ You cur! ” he cried 
to Redfowles; “ you think to bend his mind to your 
will by your cursed sophistries, do you ? ” 


THE CAPTURE 


187 


Pie made a step forward, forgetting his fetters. 
He stumbled and would have fallen had not the two 
Arabians at the door sprung forward at a sign from 
Redfowles and caught him. They bound his arms to 
his sides and tied his feet securely, then laid him in a 
corner of the room. Redfowles stood over him. 
“ Your lordship’s turn will come later,” he said scorn- 
fully. “ You and I have a little account of our own 
to settle, and it will be settled suddenly, if you don’t 
lie still.” 

The Professor looked on, pale but quiet, at the 
scene. “ Mr. Redfowles,” he said, “ is it absolutely 
necessary for us to die? Why will you not let us 
return to Europe ? ” 

“ Because you would betray me there.” 

“ And if I promise not to? ” 

“ I should not trust you.” 

“ Then we must die? And if I implore you earnestly 
to let us go back to our camp, to give up these fiendish 
plans? To leave the rest, if you will, to mere force? 
You have more men than we have.” 

“ It shall be as I have ordered,” cried Redfowles 
impatiently. “ You will stay here, you will die here, 
you will be buried here. And if you do not tell me 
what I need to complete your work, I will leave you 
here without food or water until you are ready to 
sell everything you know for a drop to drink or a 
crumb of bread. And you will die after that in any 
case.” 

Tannemore groaned, but Clusius was quite calm. 
A slight flush appeared on his cheeks and he turned to 
his friend. 

“ Very well, Richard, what matters it if we die now, 
or a few years later! And this man is right, my 
new discovery must not be lost, even if — if we die. 
Mr. Redfowles, I will tell you what was in my mind 
that evening in Stockholm. No, you need not make 


MENE TEKEL 


1 88' 

yourself ready to write yet; I must speak a few words 
in explanation first.” 

“ Spare yourself the explanation,” cut in Redfowles 
harshly. “I have read your book through carefully; 
I am ready for the last arguments. I have an excellent 
whip of rhinoceros hide handy in case you do not 
come to the point quickly enough.” 

The flush in the Professor’s cheeks deepened. 
“ Very well, then, write down what I say. You have 
forced me to it,” he added in a lower tone. “ Listen 
carefully now : 

“ You know that the main object of my work was to 
construct a gas which should react on the vibrations 
of atoms, and bring out lost and faded colours. Now 
you know that two different substances brought into 
the proper relations to one another will achieve a 
colour which neither could have alone. Also — now 
write every word carefully — glass, for instance, is a 
transparent substance because of the perfect relation 
between the vibrations of its atoms to the vibrations 
of the aether atoms around it. 

“ And now listen most carefully. This is the main 
point : Starting with an understanding of the atomic 
vibrations I have been able to construct gases which 
will act upon the atoms of substances reflecting light 
in such a way as to make other substances transparent.” 

“ Other substances transparent ? ” repeated Red- 
fowles in a strangely weary voice. His hand held the 
pencil loosely, and his head drooped as if an iron ring 
were tightening around it. 

“ Other substances transparent?” he murmured 
again, hardly articulate this time. Slowly and with 
tremendous effort he raised his heavy head, and found 
himself looking directly into the Professor’s eyes. 
These eyes, usually so gentle, sparkled like facetted 
diamonds now. An electric current seemed to go out 
from them, passing through his body from his own 


THE CAPTURE 


189 


eyes down to his knees, from his finger-tips up to his 
elbows, a current that made Redfowles shiver. Strug- 
gling to control his will power, which was fast slipping 
from him, he murmured : “ This is — this is hypno- 

tism” 

“ Yes, it is hypnotism,” said Clusius, holding out his 
hands toward Redfowles. “ I am sorry, but you your- 
self have forced me to use this last and simplest 
weapon against you.” 

Redfowles stared at him helplessly. Some of his 
brain cells were still free enough to feel a conscious- 
ness of anger, but not enough to permit of resistance. 
He smiled helplessly and sank back in his chair, as 
powerless to move without the other’s command as if 
fettered. 

Finally, when every vestige of the man’s will had 
been conquered, Clusius said : “ And now, Mr. Red- 

fowles, kindly turn to that book, and write down on 
the first empty page what I dictate.” 

Obediently Redfowles turned the page, took up his 
pencil and wrote as follows : 

“ It was I who sold the forged tablets to the British 
Museum, knowing that Bridgeport had forged them. 

“ It was at my command that Bridgeport stole Pro- 
fessor Clusius’ book containing his latest discovery. 

“ It was I who, with the help of my Bedouins, captured 
Professor Clusius and Lord Tannemore, and carried 
them away with intent to murder them. 

“It was my intention to have Bridgeport killed that 
I alone might profit from all the results of Professor 
Clusius’ last work. 

“ This confession is written by my own hand, in a river 
sentry-house by the banks of the Euphrates. 

“J. Redfowles.” 

When he had finished, Clusius spoke again. “ Now 
put down your pencil,” he commanded, “ shut the book 
and give it to me. Now give me our revolvers and 


190 


MENE TEKEL 


your own ; also any other weapons you may have about 
you.” 

Redfowles laid three revolvers and a sharp knife 
on the table, then put his hand mechanically into an 
inner pocket of his coat and laid a tiny bottle alongside 
the weapons. 

“ Poison ! You may keep that,” said Clusius. 
“ Loosen his lordship’s fetters.” 

With the mechanical movements of an automaton 
Redfowles rose, walked to the corner and released 
Tannemore. 

“ Tie your own feet very carefully,” was the next 
command. When it was done Clusius threw a corner 
of the carpet on which Redfowles was sitting over his 
feet and continued : “ Call in the leader of your men 

and tell him to return with the others to Tadmor and 
wait for you there.” 

Redfowles gave a sharp whistle and upon one of 
the Arabs coming in gave the order as Clusius had 
demanded. Presently, while silence reigned in the hut, 
outside could be heard the bustle and movement of 
Bedouins tightening saddle girths and mounting their 
horses. The sounds of the departing troop came 
almost at once. 

When the quiet of the desert surrounded them once 
more, Clusius bent over Redfowles and passed his hand 
over his forehead several times. Tannemore, dazed 
and happy at the unexpected deliverance, gathered up 
the weapons from the table, handing Clusius his own 
revolver. A change came over Redfowles’ face as 
the power of the other’s will loosened its bonds over 
his mind. The sight of Tannemore walking about 
unfettered spurred him to rise, but now his own feet 
were tied. 

“ What does this mean? ” he cried, with a bellow of 
rage. 

“ It means,” answered Clusius, “ that I was obliged 


THE CAPTURE 


191 

to hypnotise you to frustrate the crime you planned.” 

Still scarcely understanding, Redfowles whistled 
sharply once and again, but no one came. 

“ Your men are gone by your own orders,” re- 
marked Clusius. “ Also we have a complete confes- 
sion of your crimes, those already committed and 
those planned — a confession written and signed by 
your own hand.” 

“ A confession that will keep you in prison for many 
years if you should ever attempt to return to civil- 
isation,” added Tannemore. He was about to say 
more, when he suddenly stopped and looked towards 
the entrance. There were voices outside, although no 
words were yet distinguishable. All three men looked 
and listened. 

Suddenly a slender figure, in a white gown, with a 
silvery veil floating around her large hat, appeared in 
the doorway. 

“ Papa, there’s somebody in the house,” Erna Leng- 
dale exclaimed. Then she added in English, in a tone 
of great astonishment : “ Why — why it’s Mr. 

Walker, who left us so suddenly — and Professor 
Clusius — the real Professor Clusius, and Lord Lo- 
mond, Lord Tannemore I mean, and — ” 

“ That’s all for the present, Miss Lengdale,” said 
Tannemore, falling into her tone of merriment, as he 
saw her eyes wandering around the room. “ The 
rest of the party are at the camp. And there’s one I 
know who will be delighted to see you.” 

“ Oh,” stammered Erna, smiling and blushing, and 
turned to Redfowles to hide her embarrassment. 
“ Why, what’s the matter? ” she cried, at sight of him. 
“ Your feet are bound ! ” 

“ Have you fallen among thieves Mr. Walker?” 
asked Lengdale, coming in behind his daughter, and 
nodding cordially. “ What’s the matter with him ? ” 
he went on, as Redfowles did not answer. 


192 


MENE TEKEL 


“ Suppose you tell our friends who is the thief 
here,” said Tannemore, touching Redfowles with the 
toe of his boot. 

Erna started back in terror at the expression on the 
Irishman’s face, then looked helplessly at Tannemore. 

“ This man joined your caravan under the name 
of Walker, I have heard,” said Tannemore gravely. 
“ And I know some one who would have been in 
hourly terror for you had he learned of it. This 
man’s real name is Redfowles, and he is not worthy 
of any consideration on your part at all.” 

“ His own confession here will explain all this to 
you,” said Clusius, handing the book to Lengdale. 

The Danish merchant read the confession with 
astonishment. “Won’t he deny it, if he escapes?” 
he asked. 

“ He will affirm it now, in the presence of other 
witnesses,” said the Professor. “ Mr. Redfowles, did 
you not deceive the authorities of the British Museum? 
Did you not capture us with intent to murder us? 
Answer me ! ” 

“ I did,” muttered Redfowles. “ Bridgeport forged 
the tablets and I sold them to the British Museum. 
I planned to murder Professor Clusius and his entire 
caravan, to have them murdered by Arabs in my pay.” 
His voice grew louder toward the end, and he hissed 
out his words as if it eased him to say them. 

Mrs. Henning and Knute, following the others, had 
now come into the doorway, and although they did not 
understand what Redfowles was saying, they caught 
some sinister meaning in the scene from the expres- 
sions of those around them. 

Mr. Lengdale took a pencil and wrote his name as 
witness under Redfowles’ signature in the book. Then 
he handed it to his daughter and to his servants, who 
also signed. 

“ And now I think we had better go back to our 


THE CAPTURE 


193 

camp,” said the Professor, when he had put the book 
into his pocket. “ Our friends will be anxious about 
us. And I hope, Mr. Lengdale, that you and your 
party will come with us, for you will find friends there. 
My namesake of the Pandora is there, and two other 
fellow passengers, and oh, yes, . . . my assistant, too, 
I had nearly forgotten him.” 

His kind eyes, now calm as usual again, turned to 
Erna as he spoke, and she blushed sweetly under his 
friendly glance. Her father looked at the two and 
murmured, “ Was this why she chose Nineveh? ” 

Tannemore offered his arm to Erna and led her out 
into the sunshine. “ It will be a short two hours’ 
ride,” he said, helping her into the saddle of her camel, 
for the guides had now brought the entire caravan up 
to the hut. 

Clusius beckoned to one of the Arabs of the escort. 

“ Watch over the man in there until this evening,” 
he commanded. 

“ Musa will watch carefully,” said the Bedouin, the 
leader of the troop. “ But permit me, Effendi, to pull 
the saddle girths tighter on the camels; they have 
become loosened.” 

Lengdale and Clusius unconsciously turned their 
eyes towards the animals, following the direction of 
Musa’s hand. I11 the second that they did so, the 
Arab tossed a small sharp-pointed knife behind him. 
It fell close to Redfowles and he seized it eagerly. 

“Wilt thou not permit me to water the camels?” 
continued Musa, walking slowly towards the animals. 
“ They have come far without a rest.” 

There was a sudden shout from the escort, some of 
them laughing and pointing towards the river. “ Oh, 
the dog, the son of a dog,” cried Musa. “ See, he 
has escaped.” They all turned towards the river and 
saw Redfowles swimming vigorously towards the 
opposite bank. 


194 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I will catch him,” cried Musa, running to the 
bank and jumping in. 

The others crowded as near to the bank as the 
crumbling sand hills would allow. “ He’s down, he’s 
drowned,” exclaimed a voice. Redfowles was no 
longer to be seen, but the Bedouin’s white turban rose 
above the ripples. 

In the middle of the river a tiny islet, scarcely more 
than a rock, arose from the water. A single spreading 
tree towered above the shrubs on its surface. Musa 
had reached the island and clambered up on it, breath- 
ing heavily after his swim ; now he disappeared behind 
the tree. Tannemore followed every motion through 
his sharp field-glass, the others watching as well as they 
could with the naked eye. Suddenly Musa’s white tur- 
ban appeared in the river again at the other side of the 
island. The Bedouin was swimming directly across 
the river to the opposite bank. The eyes of the 
watchers followed him — all except Tannemore, whose 
glass was still trained on the island. When he put it 
down there was a smile on his lips. He turned and 
whispered to Clusius : 

“ Musa is in the pay of Redfowles ; he is helping 
him to escape.” 

“ Is he there? ” asked Clusius, in the same low tone. 

“ Yes, on the other side of the island, hiding in the 
shrubs.” 

“ What does it matter ? ” said Clusius. “ He has 
no men, horses or camels; he is helpless to harm us 
further. We can keep on with our experiments un- 
disturbed.” 

“ Then you will continue even though it is no longer 
necessary?” asked Tannemore, his eyes shining. 

“ Surely. We want to see what the walls of Baby- 
lon will tell us, do we not? Your quest is answered, 
Richard. Now we will work for the sake of science.” 

Half an hour later the caravan left the hut by the 


THE CAPTURE 


195 


river bank. Musa, coming ashore after his apparently 
fruitless search, had tried to remain behind with 
several of the camels, or at least with a donkey or two. 
But Tannemore watched him carefully, and saw that 
every last man and beast started with them. 

When they had been gone for some time and the hut 
by the river lay deserted and quiet as before, there was 
a little movement on the island, and the discomfited 
Redfowles parted the shrubs and looked across to the 
main bank. Seeing himself quite alone he stood up, 
took off his coat, and satisfied himself that the broad 
leathern money-belt around his waist was safe, its 
contents unharmed by the water. 

“ Well, I have plenty of money yet, what more do 
I want? ” he grinned. “ Two days’ walk will take me 
to Hilleh, where I can find the rest of my men — and 
after that — well, if I can’t use this new discovery, no 
one else shall! The caravan will disappear, not one 
of them shall escape. I’ll go home as Bridgeport’s 
heir, double as rich as before. Come to think of it, 
I’m sorry about that girl. She’s far too pretty to die 
so young. But if she’s sensible she can return to 
Europe as my wife. She’s really very charming.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 

LOVE IN THE DESERT 

Meanwhile, all was excitement in the caravan among 
the ruins when, as the signal for a renewed start was 
given, Professor Clusius and Lord Tannemore were 
nowhere to be found. Led by Lund, beside himself 
with anxiety, the other members of the party scattered 
through the ruins, shouting the names of their friends 
everywhere. 

“ See here — they must have been here,” called 
Schmidgruber, pointing to a heap of freshly upturned 
sand. 

“ Yes, but where are they now? ” groaned the young 
Swede. 

Schmidgruber was kneeling in the sand. “ There 
are footprints here,” he said, “ as far as one can tell 
ip this loose sand, marks of sandalled feet. And 
look here — here.” He rose in excitement and 
dropped to his knees again a few paces further on. 
“ Somebody has been lying flat on his back here, and 
there are faint marks as of a cord.” 

“ They have been captured,” cried Lund ; “ captured 
and carried away. Shall I call the others ? ” 

“ No, wait a moment,” said Schmidgruber, in a 
sudden tone of command; “ follow these traces a 
moment first.” He walked along carefully, his head 
bent. “ They have been carried along in this direc- 
tion. Horses or camels must have been waiting for 
them beyond the ruins.” 

“ That’s Redfowles’ work,” cried Lund. “ I may 
as well tell you that my revered master has been 
.196 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


197 

followed by a black-hearted villain ever since we set 
out on this trip.” 

“ I am aware of that already, Mr. Lund.” 

“ Why — how did you know my name? ” 

“ That does not matter now, does it ? ” said Schmid- 
gruber. “ I have known for some time that I have 
had the honour of travelling with the greatest scientist 
of Europe, Professor Clusius, and his friends.” 

“ And with that villain Bridgeport.” 

“ He’s not so very much of a villain,” replied 
Schmidgruber. 

“ He’s Redfowles’ friend, in league with him. The 
best thing to do would be to kill him first, and then 
hunt for our friends.” 

“ No, I don’t think you’ll do that,” said Schmid- 
gruber gently. 

“ Will you prevent me?” 

“ It will not be necessary. Your own kind heart 
and your common sense will prevent you. Believe me, 
this man is deeply repentant. I have been watching 
him for the last twenty-four hours. I think he has 
known of this attack on the Professor and Lord Tanne- 
more, and it has worked on his nerves terribly. He 
is getting his punishment now — -and besides, his re- 
pentance will make him valuable as an instrument 
against Redfowles.” 

As they talked they had been hurrying back to the 
camp. “ We must find out what direction they took 
and follow at once,” said Lund. 

“ And it’s just as well to put that Arab Omar under 
arrest, if he’s still in the camp.” 

Davud was waiting for them when they reached the 
group around the horses and camels. 

“ Let me have my horse,” said Schmidgruber, “ and 
follow me,” he added to Davud. “ The rest wait 
here.” 

Upon their return in a short time he said : “ They 


1 98 


MENE TEKEL 


have been taken towards the river banks; we must 
follow in that direction. 

“ Where is Omar? ” 

“ I have been looking for him everywhere/’ said 
Lund, “ and I can’t find him ; nor Bridgeport.” 

“ Where is Omar? ” he asked in French of Davud. 

“ Omar? ” questioned the Arab. “ Follow me, Ef- 
fendi.” 

He led them round a corner in the wall and showed 
them the missing Bedouin, leaning against it. He 
held a dagger in his hand, and his head had fallen to 
one side. Schmidgruber moved forward quickly and 
raised the man’s chin. Another dagger was buried to 
the hilt in his throat. 

“ It was my life or his,” said Davud calmly, taking 
the weapon from the dead man’s hand. He pulled his 
own dagger out of the wound, wiped it on his cloak 
and put it in his belt again. 

“ He attacked you ? ” asked Lund. 

“ It is so, O Effendi.” 

“ But why? ” 

“ I wished to prevent some new treachery — he was 
about to steal from the camp.” 

Just then a step behind them made them turn, to see 
Bridgeport standing near them, ghastly pale. “ Look 
upon me as your prisoner,” he said in a hoarse whisper. 

“ Your repentance is somewhat sudden,” said Lund 
scornfully. 

Bridgeport laid an icy cold hand on the young 
Swede’s arm. “ I am very ill,” he murmured. “ I 
do not know how I shall be able to hold myself in the 
saddle. Anxiety — terror — are killing me since I 
have known that the Professor and Lord Tannemore 
are in Redfowles’ hands. I will tell you now that 
Redfowles — ” 

“ Has been following us since Beyrout,” interrupted 
Lund. 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


;i99 

“ How do you know that ? ” cried Bridgeport 
quickly. 

“ And that you were on the Pandora — and the 
whole conspiracy — you should choose your helpers 
better for such work, Mr. Bridgeport.” 

“ Oh, they have all deceived and betrayed me,” 
groaned Bridgeport. 

“ Be a man about it ! ” exclaimed Lund in disgust. 
“ Your own record is black enough in this matter.” 

“ I know — I know. I am greatly to blame, but, 
believe me, this man is a devil. Without him I should 
never have done any of these things. He awakened 
the greed of money in my soul. It was he who led 
me on to everything — he who commanded me to 
steal the Professor’s note-books and send them to him.” 

“ You did that?” cried Lund, taking the other by 
the shoulder and shaking him in his rage. 

Bridgeport made no resistance. “ Yes. Why don’t 
you kill me?” he demanded. “I wish you would.” 

“ I feel like doing it.” 

“ Death would be easy compared with this terror 
in my heart, now that I know they are in his power. 
He is capable of anything — ” 

Lund groaned. “ He will not kill them as long as 
I live — Their death would serve him little without 
mine, if he wants to use for himself the Professor’s 
latest work. I know too much about it — and he is 
too clever to murder uselessly.” 

“ That is true — that is true,” gasped Bridgeport. 
“ That is our only hope. I will be honest with you. 
I was willing to be Redfowles’ helper in his devilish 
scheme — but now that they are gone, now that they 
are in his power, I seem to realise what it means to be 
a murderer. And I am not strong enough for that — 
not strong enough for evil or for good. I shall never 
have a peaceful moment again if anything happens to 
them. If they come back to us safely I will guard 


200 


MENE TEHEE 


them as no one else can. Oh, it is terrible — terrible ! ” 
He sank down on a stone and covered his face with 
his hands. They were quite alone now, Schmidgruber 
and the Arab having returned to the camp. 

Lund stood silent, looking down at the unhappy man 
before him. In his anger he hardly knew whether to 
believe in the sincerity of the other’s repentance. But 
the thought came to him how Professor Clusius would 
have acted in such a moment and shamed him again 
into magnanimity, which was his natural trait. Bridge- 
port’s hands dropped, and he looked up again. Lund 
started at the change in the man’s face. It was as if 
he had aged twenty years in a few moments. 

“ You don’t believe me — you don’t believe that my 
grief is sincere? ” he asked bitterly. “ Please write 
down what I want to say now — the confession of 
my part in this evil work, from the beginning.” 

With short but lucid sentences, between labouring 
breaths, he told his part of the conspiracy from the 
beginning up to the present moment. Lund’s pencil 
moved quickly, but his brain was in a whirl. He 
realised that he held the liberty, possibly even the life, 
of a man in the words he was now writing down. He 
felt himself very young for such responsibility. And 
the thought of it calmed the anger in his heart as 
nothing else could have done. 

When Bridgeport finished speaking, the young 
Swede put his book in his pocket and held out his 
hand. Bridgeport took it hesitatingly : “ Then you 

— you forgive me? ” he murmured. 


The four Europeans left the ruins and set out over 
the sand at a quick pace, leaving the pack animals and 
the escort to follow later in charge of Davud. Du- 
hamil and another Bedouin were sent on in advance, 
to report any sight of friend or foe. 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


201 


They had ridden for an hour at least before the 
scouts returned with the news of a caravan approach- 
ing from the direction of the river. Duhamil believed 
he had seen the missing men among the riders of the 
party. 

Setting spurs to their horses Lund and Bridgeport 
darted forward, followed at a slightly slower pace by 
Sleiding and Schmidgruber. These two had had little 
to say to each other during the ride out from the last 
halting place. A change in the demeanour of each 
had attracted the other’s attention. The burly Aus- 
tralian, himself trying to conceal a very real anxiety 
as to the present turn of events, noted with surprise 
the authoritative manner in which the genial little 
Schmidgruber had taken charge of the search and or- 
dered the line of pursuit. They had both lost their 
joviality and entirely neglected their good-natured 
chaffing. 

A dust cloud appeared on the horizon ahead, and 
over the brow of a low sand ridge a stately caravan 
sailed into sight. Four camels carried European 
riders, two of whom seemed to be women. But Lund 
and Bridgeport, hastening towards the approaching 
party, had eyes only for the two horsemen who, on 
sight of them, shouted a welcome and rode out to meet 
them. 

Lund gave an answering shout which expressed but 
inadequately the thankfulness of his heart, drove his 
horse in between theirs and held out his hands to each 
alternately, inarticulate with emotion. 

“ God be praised that you are safe,” said a trembling 
voice behind him. 

“ Mr. Bridgeport ? I hadn’t expected so much in- 
terest from you,” said Clusius, the amiability of his 
manner touched with a slight reserve. 

“ Is anything the matter?” asked Tannemore. 
“ You look ill.” 


202 


MENE TEKEL 


“I am — I am ill with terror and anxiety — I — I 
am not the man to murder in cold blood.” 

“ Ah — then you are implicated in this trick also ; ” 
Tannemore’s voice was sharp. 

“ I have his confession,” whispered Lund. “ He is 
truly repentant; be kind to him.” 

A camel towered over Lund’s horse. “ Good after- 
noon, Mr. Swendborg,” called Mrs. Henning from the 
height. “ How these camels do shake one up.” 

Lund put his hand to his hat mechanically. For the 
moment he did not know whether he was awake or 
dreaming. 

“ Good afternoon, Mr. Lund,” said another, sweeter 
voice, as the first camel made way for a second. This 
time Lund looked up and found himself gazing into 
the face that was the fairest in all the world for him, 
the soft cheeks tinted by a flush deeper than that 
caused by the rays of the sinking sun. Above the waves 
of golden hair floated a light veil, framing the picture 
in an opal-tinted cloud. 

“ Will you forgive me?” asked Erna, bending for- 
ward so that none but himself could hear it. “ I had 
to speak as I did — believing what I did. But it hurt 
me to do it. And, oh — I am so glad to know that I 
was mistaken. I came here to tell you this.” 

“ No — you did right then — and — and how can I 
ever thank you for coming now ? Does it mean — * 
that you really care? ” He reached up and caught her 
hand, holding it fast, as his eyes held her eyes. 
Bravely she answered their compelling question, and 
the glow of the westering sun wrapped them in a 
mantle of fiery light. 

Their friends, withdrawn to a discreet distance, 
felt the spell of the moment. The two camel-drivers 
standing near gazed delighted at the charming picture 
made by these two lovers from a far Northern land. 
Intelligent sympathy shone in their dark eyes, for 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


203 


love is the same, be it East, West, North or South, 
when the heart beats high in the Springtime of Youth. 

Mrs. Henning, on the camel next Erna, wiped a 
tear from her eye. Then she spoke, very gently, as 
if afraid to break the spell. 

“ Mr. Lengdale is just behind us, Mr. Lund. Hadn’t 
you better speak to him ? ” 

Lund came a few miles nearer earth, although a 
trace of the heaven of happiness in which the last 
moments had been passed still shone in his blue eyes, 
as he answered: “ Mr. Lengdale? Yes, I will speak 
to Mr. Lengdale.” 

Slowly he released Erna’s hand, still more slowly his 
eyes turned from her face. He drew in the reins 
hanging loose on his horse’s neck and rode a few 
yards further to where Mr. Lengdale sat on his camel, 
watching the pretty scene with no very great appear- 
ance of surprise. He nodded amiably as the young 
man approached. 

“ Mr. Lengdale, I love your daughter — do you 
give your consent ? ” were Lund’s first words, as he 
raised his hat mechanically. 

Lengdale smiled down on him from the camel’s 
back. “ You two seemed to have settled matters be- 
tween yourselves,” he answered amiably. “ There’s 
not much left for me to say, so far as I can see.” 

“ Well, as long as you don’t say no, that’s all we 
ask,” said Lund magnanimously. 

Lengdale leaned over, holding out his hand. “ I 
liked you well enough on the Pandora ” he said. 
“ Even before I knew who you were. And now Pro- 
fessor Clusius has been telling me about you. I am 
glad indeed that my dear child has won the love of 
such a man.” 

The quick-falling, tropic night was on them as the 
Lengdale caravan made its way back towards the 


204 


MENE TEKEL 


Euphrates. Musa led, but Duhamil rode by his side, 
watching him carefully. The second scout had been 
sent back to tell Davud of the meeting-place chosen. 

Lund and Erna rode behind the Arabs, talking low 
to one another, living over again the exciting events 
of the day, with its many surprises, harsh and pleas- 
ant. Above them the stars shone out in the clear sky, 
and the white sand gave back the myriad radiance. 
Their new-found happiness wrapped them in a com- 
plete isolation. Last of the party, Clusius, Tanne- 
more and Bridgeport rode together, absorbed in 
earnest conversation. Less impulsive than Lund, still 
the two older men were impressed with the sincerity 
of the forger’s remorse, and met him with kindness 
and sympathy. 

“ Then you insist on visiting Babylon ? ” Bridge- 
port asked as they neared the river. “ The task which 
brought you here has been accomplished. You have 
my written confession, as well as Redfowles’ ; why go 
further? ” 

“ Why turn back so near Babylon ?. Surely there is 
no fear of Redfowles now?” 

“ He is always to be feared.” 

“ Even when he has no weapons or men? ” 

“ He is sure to have money to buy weapons and 
men. And I know that there are plenty of the latter 
in his employ, waiting for him in Hilleh.” 

“ But until he reaches there he is one against 
many, and we are now too strong a force to fear him 
when we reach the town.” 

“ And yet, I implore you, do not go to Babylon. I 
fear you may never leave there alive.” 

“ We thank you for your warning, Mr. Bridge- 
port,” replied Clusius, “but we cannot follow it. 
Why, man, you are an archaeologist yourself! Do 
you think that we could turn back now that we are 
so near that most fascinating of all treasure-troves for 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


205 


the student of antiquity. I know an old rose bush 
there — ” his voice warmed with eagerness — “ an old, 
old rose bush — I discovered it just on the eve of de- 
parture of my last visit. But I know where it is, 
and I am certain that behind it is a hidden portal 
leading into the richness of the Past. This time I 
shall see my rose bush again and I shall see what 
is behind it” 

“ But you can go back if you are afraid of Baby- 
lon,” said Tannemore. 

Bridgeport faced about and looked at him in sur- 
prise. “ How do you mean that?” he stammered. 

“ I mean that we shall not hinder you from leav- 
ing us whenever you wish, to.” 

“ Then — then I am free?” 

“ Surely. The matter of the Babylonian bricks is 
definitely settled. All that is left for you to do is 
to return the money to the Museum. As for what 
has happened since, we can afford to forget that. 
You have your escorts and your guides; you can re- 
turn to Damascus and from there to Europe as soon as 
you like.” 

Bridgeport closed his eyes for a moment, cover- 
ing them with his hands. “ You are good,” he said, 
“ but I will stay with you. If any harm comes to you 
I must be there. I can never forget what might have 
happened here.” 

“ It did not happen, so do not let it concern you, as 
it no longer concerns us,” said Clusius gently, laying 
his finely shaped hand on the other’s icy-cold one. 

The camp was made in a favourable position near 
the banks of the Euphrates, and the men of the Pro- 
fessor’s party were Lengdale’s guests for supper. The 
Danish merchant had provided amply for his journey 
through the desert, and the meal cooked by Mrs. Hen- 
ning, deftly served by Knute, was a delightful change 
from the simple fare on which his guests had been liv- 


206 


MENE TEKEL 


in g lately. Supper over, the older men made them- 
selves comfortable over the coffee and cigars, while 
Lund and Erna strolled out of sight along the river 
bank. When they were quite alone Lund drew a little 
box from his pocket. The delicate fragrance of the 
sandalwood arose like a soft murmur through the 
evening quiet. 

“ I had not hoped to give you this before we met in 
Copenhagen,” he said, fastening the dainty lotus brace- 
let around Erna’s arm. “ Let it serve as engagement 
ring for a time, dearest.” 

“ Were you so sure you would give me this lovely 
thing — in Copenhagen ? ” asked Erna roguishly. 

“ I hoped to — that’s why I had the initials cut in.” 

“ Oh, indeed — then you were quite sure of me?” 

“ Yes.” 

“Why?” asked Erna, thoughtful and a little em- 
barrassed. “ Am I so — so lacking in reserve ? ” 

“You are the dearest, truest, and most honest- 
hearted girl in the world. There isn’t a bit of calcu- 
lation or false coquetry about you. That’s why I love 
you, and why I felt sure you cared for me.” 

“ Then you weren’t angry because I made such a 
fuss over the false Professor? How could I do it, 
when the real one is so fine, so kind and sympathetic, 
so really wonderful? How could I ever believe him 
to be like — that other man ? ” 

“ I did feel like smashing him, particularly when you 
thanked him for the pictures.” 

“ Oh, yes, those pictures — of course it was the real 
Clusius, your Clusius, who made them. How did he 
ever do it ? ” 

“ I’ll explain to you sometime. . . .” 

“ What’s the matter? ” asked Erna, as Lund stopped 
suddenly, apparently struck by an unpleasant thought. 

“ Who — what was that young man to you? ” 

“ What young man ? ” 


LOVE IN THE DESERT 


207 


“ In the picture — he was in the garden with you 
about a year ago.” 

“ Oh, you mean Axel? He’s my cousin. I believe 
you’re jealous of him.” 

“ I am, very much so.” 

“ But you needn’t be,” Erna laughed merrily. “ I 
did like him for a while — or I thought I did. Then 
he bored me dreadfully. I feel ashamed of myself for 
ever listening to his foolish talk. And — I ought to 
tell you — I let him kiss me once.” 

“ I know that, my darling,” said Lund. “ But I’m 
glad to have you tell me — I’m glad that you are so 
honest.” 

Erna looked at him in great surprise. “ How on 
earth could you know that? We were all alone in the 
garden ; there was no one but just us two.” 

“ And the sun,” laughed Lund. 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

“ The sun, and your fan, the fan I cleaned for you 
on the boat.” 

“ Hjalmar, I don’t understand you at all ! ” 

“ It was the sun and your fan ; they told me that 
Axel kissed you about a year ago in the garden.” 

Erna shook her head and did not attempt to speak 
again. Lund took a folded strip of paper from his 
pocket and lit a wax match. 

“ Look at this, dear; it may explain things to you.” 
He unrolled the paper, showing her some of the 
pictures thrown from the shadows on the fan. The 
process by which the thing had been done seemed 
like magic to her and she did not attempt to understand 
it. She gazed in awed silence at the outline of the 
heads of her dead grandmother and aunt and her far- 
distant cousin. “ It’s wonderful,” she sighed ; “ may- 
be I shall understand it some day, but it doesn’t seem 
possible now.” 

When they returned to the camp, Mrs. Henning 


208 


MENE TEICEL 


noticed the bracelet at once. “ Why, Erna,” she ex- 
claimed; “this pretty diing was evidently intended for 
you from the beginning! Wasn’t it funny that you 
should have wanted k so when you saw it in Damas- 
cus ? ” 

“ Where did you see it ? ” asked Lengdale. 

“ In the bazaar in Damascus, the day we went out 
with Knute to guard us, don’t you remember ? ” 

“ If you wanted it so why didn’t you buy it? ” asked 
the father in surprise. 

“ Miss Erna didn’t want to pay three hundred 
piastres for it,” exclaimed Knute, handing about a tray 
with filled glasses. 

Tannemore laughed and leaned over to whisper to 
Lund, “ Fatme demanded one hundred more from 
you. She’s a clever business woman.” 

“ I wouldn’t have missed buying it if she’d asked a 
thousand,” was Lund’s rejoinder. 


CHAPTER XIX 


AMID THE SHADOWS OF THE PAST 

All was quiet in the camp. The sentries alone, sit- 
ting their horses like dark statues against the night 
sky, kept watch across the rolling stretch of sand. 

Lund could not sleep. The excitement of the day, 
the terrifying capture of his friends, their return, and 
the great happiness that had so suddenly come into his 
life, raised a turmoil in his brain that would not let 
him rest. He lifted the flap of his tent and slipped 
out into the soft gloom of the night. He passed Du- 
hamil, on sentry duty, with a whispered greeting, and 
walked on to the river bank. He followed the course 
of the stream upwards, walking rapidly, glad of the 
physical exertion which restored order to the chaos in 
his mind. But as he reviewed the events of the day, 
the thing that concerned him most, outside his own 
happiness, was the escape of Redfowles. 

“ I don’t think we’ve heard the last of him,” he 
murmured to himself. “ He’ll be up to his deviltries 
again, wherever he is.” 

Suddenly he dropped to his full length in the grass. 

He had seen that he was not alone: a man came 
towards him across the sand, a man alone and on foot. 

“ Redfowles would have to travel on foot now ; ” 
this was the thought that made Lund drop to the 
ground. The lonely wanderer could be no one else but 
Redfowles. 

The stranger, whoever it was, seemed .not to have 
noticed Lund in the second that the young man stood 
on the top of the little knoll where he now lay hidden. 

209 


210 


MENE TEKEL 


He came quietly nearer, and Lund felt for his revolver. 
Now he halted, dropped a bundle from his shoulders 
to the ground, and sat down beside it. 

“ He seems to feel quite safe,” thought Lund, 
watching on the knoll. The man’s back was towards 
him and he rose cautiously and crept nearer, holding 
his revolver ready. The man stretched himself out 
comfortably on the dry grass, as if to sleep. But he 
was not sleeping, and as Lund drew gradually nearer, 
he heard him murmuring to himself. 

“ He’s talking Latin ! Why, how strange,” thought 
the listener. He took a step or two more, with infinite 
caution, and now he could understand the words : 

“. . . eadem node , in qua Herostratus quidam tern- 
plum Dianae Ephesiae ineenderat , Alexander natus est, 
quadecausa . . .” By this time Lund was at the 
other’s side, shouting aloud : “ Good Lord ! it’s Klaus ! 
it’s Klaus ! ” 

Klaus sat up and remarked, “ Thank goodness, I 
have found you! How is the Professor?” 

He held out one hand to Lund while with the other 
he pulled a little bottle from his pocket. “ You left 
this in the Professor’s study, on the right-hand corner 
of the desk,” he said. 

Lund shook his head, dazed : “ And you came all 

this distance to bring it? ” 

“ I thought you might want it. I knew the Pro- 
fessor would not have put the bottle out to pack if he 
hadn’t needed it for his work.” 

“ Klaus — you are a wonder ! ” 

“ I took the shortest way here, but of course — this 
is just for you — it cost me all my savings. I had 
just money enough left in Damascus to buy a donkey. 
But I don’t know much about donkeys, and this one 
must have been very old. I left him to his last rest 
in an oasis between Tadmor and the Tomb of Ezekiel.” 

“ And you came the rest of the way on foot? ” 


AMID THE SHADOWS 


21 1 


“ Yes; Eve been walking for some days. I got rid 
of all the fat that bothered me so at home. See how 
slender I am now.” Klaus had risen and stood before 
Lund. 

“ Yes, indeed,” said the latter; “ it’s improved your 
figure wonderfully. But what’s all this?” Lund 
pointed to an immense bundle in the man’s coat pocket. 

“ That is the map that showed me the way,” an- 
swered Klaus, taking it out. It was an immense 
hanging map of all Asia. 

Lund laughed heartily. “Why didn’t you cut out 
the part you needed instead of bringing the whole 
thing? ” 

“ Oh, how could I cut it ? It belongs to the Pro- 
fessor. And I’m sorry to say there’s a little crack 
here through Siberia; it’s too bad.” Klaus seemed 
most unhappy over the crack. 

“ I’ll buy the Professor a new one,” said Lund. 
“ And, of course, I will give you back all this trip 
has cost you, for it was my carelessness that made it 
necessary. But, Klaus, do tell me how on earth you 
ever got so far without an outfit, or food or water, 
or without a guide even.” 

“Without a guide? Oh, this map is an excellent 
guide. And then besides, I brought your pocket com- 
pass. I hope you don’t mind, sir.” 

“But how did you feed yourself?” 

“ I’ve gotten out of the habit of eating since I left 
Damascus. It’s astonishing how little you can get 
along with in this climate. I had enough water with 
me. I have three bottles in my knapsack, and I filled 
them at the spring by the Tomb before I left there 
in a hurry. That was the only place in all this desert 
that frightened me.” 

“But why? We were there. There wasn’t any- 
thing to frighten one there.” 

“ Wasn’t there ? I must have been there later. 


212 


MENE TEKEL 


The very thought of that tomb makes me shiver now.” 

“ An empty tomb? ” 

“ Empty? Well, there were nearly a dozen dead 
Arabs in it when I got there.” 

“ Klaus, that must have been imagination.” 

“ Does your imagination work through your nose, 
sir?” 

“ That’s strange,” said Lund thoughtfully, while 
Klaus continued his narrative. 

“ I drank the water one swallow at a time, and then 
I recited all the Latin I knew to amuse myself in 
this stupid desert, where you don’t see a thing but 
stones and sand all day long.” 

“ Klaus, you’re a wonder,” said Lund again. “ It’s 
all the more astonishing because you yourself used to 
say at home that you hadn’t a bit of courage. That’s 
the reason the Professor didn’t bring you with us.” 

Klaus laughed cheerily. “ I don’t know why 
I thought I was such a coward,” he said. “ The idea 
of coming on this journey frightened me, but the 
moment I got started I felt all right. There wasn’t 
anything to be afraid of in the desert, but something 
very queer happened — very queer.” 

“ What was it?” 

“ It was about two nights ago. I went to sleep 
with the thought that when I woke up in the morn- 
ing I shouldn’t have strength enough to get up again. 
I hadn’t had a thing to eat for forty-eight hours. 
It made me angry to think — that the Professor 
should be in Babylon and not have his bottle. Then 
when I went to sleep I heard a hyena — or I dreamt 
that I did. And it seemed to me that the beast was 
prowling about me waiting for me to die so he could 
begin his meal. Then my dream changed and I 
thought I was sitting at a table before a dish of meat 
that smelt so good. I seemed to hear something and 
after a while I woke up. I saw the stars over me 


AMID THE SHADOWS 


213 


and nothing in sight but that monotonous desert as 
before. Then I looked down at my side and what 
do you suppose I saw? It was a tin plate and cup. 
On the plate was a piece of meat and some vegetables 
and in the cup was wine and water. There was a 
knife and fork there, and a piece of paper on which 
was written, * Good appetite to you/ ” 

“ That must have been a fever dream,” said Lund, 
“ the result of hunger.” 

Klaus laughed again. “Well, I shouldn’t mind 
more of such dreams,” he said, “ if they were all so 
agreeable. It was real meat and it tasted good. I 
tore a leaf from my note-book and I wrote on it, 
4 Many thanks,’ and left it on the plate. Then I went 
to sleep and slept soundly this time until morning. 
When I woke up there was nothing there.” 

“ Then it must have been a dream,” said Lund. 

Klaus took out his note-book and handed the assist- 
ant two pieces of paper. On each was written in 
Swedish, “ Good appetite to you.” 

“ This astonishing but very pleasant thing happened 
again last night,” explained Klaus. “ I don’t under- 
stand it, but it helped me on my journey.” 

Lund took the faithful fellow back to the camp 
and made him comfortable in his own tent. The next 
morning he was greeted with great surprise and 
cordiality by the Professor and Tannemore. Late 
that day the caravan came in sight of Hilleh. 

Nowhere else in the world, perhaps, is there such 
a contrast of modern squalor and ancient glory as 
on this spot. Twenty-two centuries ago Babylon 
stood there and ruled the world. Now a small but 
thickly populated Arabian city* wretched, lacking in 
comfort or even decency, clings to the mighty ruins 
like a toadstool to a fallen tree. Hilleh is built of 
stone that once formed the walls and towers of Baby- 
lon the Ancient. It huddles fearsomely in onq 


214 


MENE TEKEL 


corner of the miles of ruins as if ashamed of itself 
in the presence of these bleached bones of imperial 
grandeur. 

The caravan entered the ruins at the northeastern 
corner. Professor Clusius called a halt and an- 
nounced his intention to pitch camp where they were, 
by the banks of the Euphrates, near the Palace of 
Neriglissar, rather than risk the discomforts of the 
huts of Hilleh. The others agreed, and a much more 
comfortable camp was made than on the two previous 
nights. 

After breakfast next morning Professor Clusius 
suggested to the others that they make a sight-seeing 
trip to Hilleh, including a visit to the post-office for 
possible letters. He himself would remain in camp 
to make the last preparations for his experiment. 

Tannemore, secretly anxious, offered his company 
and assistance. But Clusius preferred to be alone, 
and his friend joined the exploring party, which in- 
cluded Erna and Mrs. Henning. The Bedouins 
received a holiday and permission to go whither they 
pleased. Davud and Duhamil alone remained on 
guard at the camp. 

Sleiding also excused himself from the trip to 
Hilleh, pleading fatigue. But soon after the others 
had set out for the town, the Australian left the camp 
in a different direction. He had slipped his revolver 
into his pocket, too. 

The Professor remained in his tent for some time, 
then came out and walked quickly through the ruins 
towards the river bank. A little electric lantern hung 
at his belt, and in one hand he carried a map drawn 
in pencil. He wandered along near the stream, stop- 
ping now and then to verify his landmarks. Once or 
twice he halted completely, looked behind him and 
listened. It seemed to him as if he heard a stealthy 
footfall, the rattling of a loose stone, as though he 


AMID THE SHADOWS 


215 

were being followed. At such moments, he slipped 
one hand into the pocket where his revolver lay hid- 
den. 

Finally his pace quickened. A scent of roses filled 
the air, and following it he turned the corner of a 
broken colonnade. Below him, half way down the 
steep sand cliff bordering the stream, a great rose 
bush clung to the crevices of an ancient wall. Its 
long thick branches, attesting its great age, were 
covered closely with hundreds of little pale pink 
blooms. 

“ This is the place,” murmured Clusius, his eyes 
shining. He scrambled down the bank, parted the 
fragrant swaying branches and disappeared into the 
blackness of an opening in the wall. 

Some little while later a man appeared on the bank 
above. He climbed down carefully, following the 
footprints in the moist sand. When he had satisfied 
himself that they led to the hidden portal behind the 
rose bush, he stood there for a while and listened. 
Then he climbed carefully up the bank again and 
looked about him. 

A few paces beyond was a low wall, with one or 
two small window openings in it. The man walked 
behind it and found that it commanded the only 
descent to that part of the bank where the rose bush 
was. He cowered behind one of the windows, in such 
a position that he could look through it at the slightest 
noise. He looked about with a satisfied expression 
and settled down comfortably to wait, taking some 
dates from his pocket. 

As he sat eating comfortably he had not the faintest 
suspicion that he was under the eye of another watcher 
who had followed him as he had followed the Pro- 
fessor. This second watcher had a still better position, 
which commanded both the hiding-place of the man 
before him and the path down the river bank. 


2l6 


MENE TEKEL 


. Both sat there and waited, waited from the early 
morning until the shadows of the sinking sun lay 
long and black on the white sand between the ruins. 
The watchers grew uneasy, but neither left his place. 

At last steps sounded below — the rolling of a little 
stone beneath a careless foot. The Professor was 
coming up the bank, after nearly twelve hours under- 
ground. He was very pale, but a strange light shone 
in his eyes, a light as of a great contentment. He 
climbed up the bank and took the way towards the 
camp. As he passed the hidden watcher behind the 
window opening, the other raised his revolver, cover- 
ing the man behind the wall ; but no shot followed, and 
Clusius reached the camp without anything to interest 
or alarm him. 

When he had passed their hiding-places, one of the 
watchers rose and disappeared in the opposite direc- 
tion. The other remained where he was until he 
heard the hoof beats of a galloping horse. Then he 
too departed. 

Sleiding reached the camp before the Professor, 
and when the latter arrived he found the party in a 
bustle of pleasurable excitement. Tannemore came 
towards him, waving letters from home. 

“What’s the matter, Richard?” asked Clusius; 
“ you look so happy.” 

“ I am indeed happy. I have news from my wife. 
Look at this.” 

“ But this is the wrong letter,” exclaimed the Pro- 
fessor. “ These are ancient Hebraic characters.” 

“ It’s from Evelyn, though,” insisted Tannemore. 
“ She has learned to write ancient Hebraic, and is now 
learning the Arabic tongue to be with me in my work. 
Oh, my friend, I have done her a great wrong — I 
thought her superficial and pleasure-loving! ' And 
now I realise how little I have been what I ought to 
have been to her. I have neglected her shame fully for 


'AMID THE SHADOWS 


217 

my studies. I feel as if I could not hurry home quick 
enough to tell her so.” 

Clusius nodded. “ Surely,” he replied. “ Shall 
we start after supper ? ” 

Tannemore laughed. “ Oh, no,” he said, “ I can 
write. Of course I shan’t go until you are ready. If 
you have any idea when that will be, I’ll telegraph 
Evelyn to-night.” 

“ Wire her that she may expect you in about two 
weeks,” said the Professor. “ The last and decisive 
experiment will take place to-morrow morning. I am 
as anxious as you are to get away. What is Davud 
coming to say ? ” The Professor turned to meet the 
Bedouin, who just then came up to them with a face 
more serious than usual. 

“ Lord and Protector,” said the Arab, “ Allah has 
deserted thy servant. My hand to-day was too weak 
to hold back this Musa, this son of a dog. He fled 
from the camp. Early in the morning he made an 
attempt, but Duhamil, the faithful, prevented it. They 
bound him and laid him in a corner of the ruins, but 
when an hour ago Duhamil went to bring him food 
and drink he was gone. He had bitten through the 
thongs that held him. I sent out those of our riders 
who had returned from the town, but none could find 
him. O Effendi, do not doubt the fidelity of thy 
servant.” 

“ Have no care, Davud my friend,” said the Pro- 
fessor kindly. “ Those who wish us evil will have 
little time in which to work it. When the sun throws 
shadows from this wall to-morrow we shall start on 
the westward journey. Send men to Hilleh this even- 
ing, to purchase what we need for the return journey.” 

They sat long at the supper table that evening, and 
when the meal was over the Professor invited the 
party to gather in a comfortable place, under a high 
wall, to hear the results he had to announce to them. 


2l8 


MENE TEKEL 


They sat closely, to lose no syllable. Three of the 
party, anxious to have a wider view of their surround- 
ings than the sheltered corner permitted, sat a little 
apart from the circle. Bridgeport took up his place 
at some distance from the group. Beyond him sat 
Schmidgruber, watching him intently. Still further 
further away sat Sleiding, whose place commanded a 
view of the entire camp, and of a good piece of the 
ruins beyond. His eyes wandered unceasingly over 
the prospect before them. 

The Professor, in the centre of his knot of interested 
hearers, began to speak: 

“ This ancient field of ruins which once was Babylon 
offers much of interest to the archaeologist, as well as 
to the tourist. But so much that is unpleasant has 
happened to us on this journey that we think it better 
to cut short our stay here, and to leave all these 
interesting things behind. I have, however, to-day 
found the most interesting thing of all that Babylon 
offers us. I suspected it for some time. I will show 
you to-morrow morning. I invite you all, including 
the ladies, to follow me to-morrow to an excavation 
on the river bank, north of the city. My last prepa- 
rations will then have been made.” 

There was a pause of some few minutes after the 
Professor ceased speaking. 

“Will you not tell us, sir, what we are to see?” 
asked Lund, at last. 

“ What can it be ? What would you call the most 
interesting thing in all Babylon ? ” added Erna timidly. 

Clusius looked at her with a gentle smile. “If I 
should ask Hjalmar that, he would undoubtedly say, 
‘ Erna.’ No, my dear young lady, you must forgive 
me if I keep my surprise until to-morrow.” 

“Have you found the golden statue of Baal?” 
asked Mr. Lengdale. “ I read somewhere that it 


AMID THE SHADOWS 


219 


weighed a thousand Babylonian talents. I suppose it 
is very valuable.’" 

“No; what I have found is something still more 
valuable to me.” 

“ Then I suppose a Babylonian talent isn’t very 
much ? ” 

The Professor smiled and turned to Tannemore. 
“ You tell our friends the value of that statue,” he 
said. “ You have the figures handier than I.” 

Tannemore calculated a moment, then answered: 
“ In round numbers the golden statue of Baal, if its 
weight be as reported, should be worth about one 
hundred thousand pounds sterling.” 

“ Good gracious ! And this thing the Professor has 
found is still more valuable ? ” asked the Danish 
merchant, surprised. 

“ Yes,” said Clusius, with decision. “ What I have 
found lies under a heap of debris, the condition of 
which leads me to think it has never been disturbed. 
There are no traces of diggings on it anywhere, and 
yet on my former visit I found reason to believe that 
below this debris there might be chambers hitherto 
unexplored. I found a little opening when I was here 
last time, but unfortunately just as I was obliged to 
set out on my return, having joined a caravan com- 
manded by others. To-day I sought the rose bush 
there again, and passed through the door. It led me 
into the interior of this mound of ruins. And I 
found there a labyrinth of corridors, great chambers 
half filled with debris, and a mighty hall, the low 
ceiling upheld by hundreds of massive columns. The 
outlines of the corridors prove to me that the hall 
must have had a height of several stories. Now the 
sand and the debris lie piled up there to a height of 
twenty yards. Many of the roofs and walls are 
destroyed, but the arched ceiling of the great hall has 


220 


MENE TEKEL 


been spared. Within it, lies the blackness of un- 
disturbed millenniums. It is into this hall that I wish 
to lead you to-morrow to show you my last experi- 
ment/ J 

The Professor rose, nodded to his friends and 
turned towards his tent. 

“ May I not stay with you? ” asked Tannemore. 

“ Oh, master, let me,” begged Lund. 

“ No, friends, I do not need you now. I have much 
to do to-night, and prefer to remain alone until morn- 
ing.” 

Tannemore took up a comfortable position near the 
entrance to the Professor’s tent and lighted a cigar. 
Lund was about to settle down beside him, but the 
Englishman would not permit it. “ One of us is 
enough,” he said. “ You have other duties now. I’d 
rather stay here and think about home,” he added, 
his voice dropping to a softer note. Lund joined the 
Lengdales and led them for a walk through the ruins. 

Klaus remained behind, strolling about in the vicin- 
ity of his master’s tent, and presently an odd little 
thing happened. He passed Tannemore in one of his 
turns and noticed that the Englishman was feeling in 
his pockets for a match, upon which he pulled out a 
box of his own. As he did so a little shining object 
rolled out of his pocket and fell in the sand in front 
of Tannemore. The Englishman, picking it up, saw 
a gilt button with the word, “ Nordenskjold,” on it 
in raised letters. “ This is something of yours? ” he 
asked, handing the button back to Klaus. 

“ No, it isn’t mine. I found it in the oasis by the 
Tomb of Ezekiel.” 

“ That’s queer. Looks like a navy button,” said 
Tannemore, slipping it into his pocket. 

For the last twenty- four hours Schmidgruber had 
scarcely left Bridgeport’s side. The others, if they 
noticed the matter at all, found nothing to remark in 


AMID THE SHADOWS 


221 


it. Bridgeport was evidently ill, and the close at- 
tention paid him by the jovial little Austrian could 
easily be explained as sheer human kindness. He had 
even persuaded Bridgeport to share his tent with him. 
And before the latter retired that evening Schmid- 
gruber brought him a glass of wine with his own 
hands. Now he stood and watched his patient as the 
latter lay sleeping soundly. The smile was gone from 
the little man’s keen grey eyes and he murmured to 
himself : “ This sleep will do you good, my friend. 

My powders are quite harmless. At all events they 
are less harmful for you than your nightly promen- 
ades are likely to be for the rest of us. Whatever 
happens it’s just as well that you should be out of it. 
One is enough for us to handle.” 


CHAPTER XX 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 

No one slept well that night. They were all too much 
oppressed by the mystery that was to be revealed to 
them on the morrow. The setting of ancient ruins 
and vanished glory added to the strangeness of it all. 
Even for those who did not know of the actual danger 
threatening there was a certain tenseness in the air 
that kept the nerves vibrating. 

The sun had scarcely risen above the horizon next 
morning when the whole camp was awake and ready 
for action. The Professor was the calmest of them 
all as he came among them, cautioning each of them 
to eat a hearty breakfast, as they might be late getting 
back for lunch. 

“ Do you think you had better come with us, Bridge- 
port ? ” he asked as he saw the other’s pale face. 

“ I must — unless you give it up. Did you know 
that Musa, who is in Redfowles’ pay, fled from the 
camp yesterday? ” 

“ Yes ; I knew it.” 

“And you know that Redfowles is still alive? I 
left the camp night before last. I went to Hilleh — 
to find out if he had been heard from.” 

“ But why did you so tax your strength? You are 
much too ill.” 

“ I would go to the end of the world if I could help 
you,” was the reply; “ but there is no more strength in 
me. It took me nearly six hours to make even that 
short distance.” 

“ Did you discover anything when you got there ? ” 
222 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 223 

“Yes. Redfowles has been seen in Hilleh. He 
has plenty of money and men paid to serve him. I 
wanted to warn you yesterday, but I couldn't find 
you alone, and then I fell asleep and slept until morn- 
ing. But I come to ask you now. Do not make this 
expedition! Do not part yourself from your escort, 
for this man is sure to be planning some harm against 
you, here where his money can buy assistance for him 
in the town. Remember, I know him better than you, 
and I know that he will never forget his defeat 
at your hands in the hut by the river bank. The 
strength of our party now is a protection to you — 
but do not let any of them leave you." 

“ I thank you for your well-meant warning,” an- 
swered the Professor, “ but I do not believe the danger 
is as serious as you think. Duhamil was on duty all 
night, and he saw nothing suspicious. Once, he tells 
me, he heard a sound as of a large body of cavalry in 
the distance. But it came from the direction opposite 
to the town, and the riders you fear would come from 
Hilleh. Our faithful scout believes that all is safe, 
and so do I. But you're a sick man, Bridgeport. Why 
don’t you stay in the camp and let Mrs. Henning take 
care of you? She’s a little afraid of this underground 
expedition, and prefers to remain here anyway. As 
soon as we return and have had our midday meal, we’ll 
set out again for Damascus.” 

“ It shall be arranged as you wish, Professor,” re- 
plied Bridgeport, “ except that I do not leave your 
side to-day.” 

Shortly after breakfast the exploring party started. 
Lund, assisted by Klaus and Knute, carried the parts 
of the photographic apparatus. All of the party, in- 
cluding Erna, had lamps at their belts, and several of 
the Arabs carried bundles of torches to light the dark- 
ness of the underground passageway. The men of 
the party were all armed. They followed the Pro- 


224 


MENE TEKEL 


fessor, who led them* along the river bank up the 
stream. Immediately behind him walked Tannemore 
and Sleiding. Behind them came Mr. Lengdale and 
his daughter, followed by Lund and the two servants. 
Schmidgruber and Bridgeport and four Arabs were 
the rear guard. 

Schmidgruber chatted to his companion, but found 
time to throw keen glances about the ruins as they 
passed. Sleiding did the same, and Tannemore, notic- 
ing it, whispered to him : “ Have you seen anything 

suspicious ? I notice that you watch every corner that 
we pass.” 

“ I’m looking for crocodiles,” answered Sleiding in 
a casual tone. But his eyes were fixed keenly on a 
ridge on the opposite side of the stream, here shallow 
though broad. On this ridge was a thicket of shrubs 
close enough and high enough to hide an army. 
There was a sudden gleam of something bright behind 
the bushes, and from the hither side of the river rose 
a cry as of some water- fowl. 

“ Ah! ” exclaimed Tannemore, who happened to get 
a glimpse of Sleiding’ s mouth at the moment the cry 
sounded. 

“ Yes,” replied Sleiding, “ it’s one of my accomplish- 
ments, that — Oh, smell that! That must be the 
rose bush.” 

An exquisite odour filled the air about them, as they 
stood looking down on the .great tree, stretching out 
its arms as if to uphold the falling walls to which it 
clung. Symbol of blooming life and nature’s beauty, 
it made a strange picture amid the slow decay of 
centuries about it. 

The Professor pushed aside the branches and disap- 
peared through the little door beneath. “ Bend your 
heads going under here,” he called ; “ the ceiling is 
low.” 

“Caution, my lord,” whispered Sleiding; “if we 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 225 


pass through large rooms in here, you look to the 
right, and I’ll take the left side.” 

“You are afraid?” whispered Tannemore. 

“ Only of what may befall us in here. We can 
count on re-enforcements outside.” 

Tannemore halted a moment and looked the other 
in the face, but Sleiding put his finger to his lips and 
shook his head. Then they stooped through the nar- 
row entrance and followed the Professor into the 
darkness beyond. 

When all were inside, the lanterns and torches were 
lit and a steady glare of light brightened the darkness 
which for centuries had brooded over these hidden 
halls. The passageway in which they stood was 
broad, and once undoubtedly had been high. Sand 
from the river and debris of falling houses outside, 
washed up by the waves, had filled it up to nearly half 
its height. At its further end six steps led down to 
a low doorway. Metal hinges still clung to the stone 
facing, but the door was gone. 

They stood now in a room half ruined, its shape 
unrecognisable through mounds of debris. Sleiding 
bent over and swept the light of his lantern along the 
floor, but there were no footprints recognisable in the 
loose stones there. 

“ Now, please proceed with great caution,” called 
the Professor. “ We are near a wall which separates 
this room from another. There must be a canal under 
these floors! You can hear the water if you listen.” 

“ Yes, I can hear it,” said Lund. “ And I hear 
another noise behind us.” He was about to add : “ A 
noise as of many footsteps,” but he did not say it for 
fear of alarming Erna. He felt a decided uneasiness 
taking possession of his mind. 

Some of the others heard the noise behind them 
also. 

“ The echo of our own feet most likely,” said Sleid- 


226 


MENE TEKEL’ 


in g aloud. Then he whispered to Tannemore: “Do 
not fear any noise behind us, my lord. Believe me, it 
is all right. But keep a sharp eye out for what may 
lie before us.” 

A few steps further on the explorers found them- 
selves in an arch of the grey stone wall. Through this 
they passed, up two or three steps into a huge hall, re- 
markably well preserved. The room was a great 
square, divided throughout its length by massive col- 
umns into a centre choir and two corridor-like side 
aisles. In the side walls were other openings leading 
into rooms beyond. At the further end of the choir 
a high raised platform reached from wall to wall. All 
this could be seen but dimly, for even the many elec- 
tric lanterns and the flaring torches prevailed but little 
against the blackness that lay in these wide spaces. 

“ You are so pale, my darling,” whispered Lund to 
the girl who stood beside him. 

“But I am not afraid,” she answered; “not while 
I am with you.” 

Sleiding bent down here too, sweeping the light of 
his lantern along the floor. On the firmer pavement, 
covered by fine dust, he saw the print of many san- 
dalled feet, and followed them a little distance. They 
led towards one of the openings on the left side of 
the hall. Sleiding made a sign to Tannemore, who 
took up his position on the left side of the Professor, 
standing near the platform. Then he whispered a 
word to Lund, who turned pale, but quite calmly and 
casually asked Mr. Lengdale to take his place with 
Erna by his side, at one of the columns on the right 
side of the platform. 

Schmidgruber, standing close beside Bridgeport, 
noticed these movements and Sleiding’s conduct. He 
had seen the footprints himself, and it was he who 
led Bridgeport towards the left side of the platform, 
where they stood with their backs against a broad 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 227 

column. A sense of excitement was in the air, a tense 
hint of impending danger, felt by all — except the 
Professor. He alone of all those assembled in this 
scene of ancient civilisation, was calm and uncon- 
cerned. 

He took his lantern from his belt, and raising it high 
above his head stepped to the left side of the broad 
deep niche in the end of the hall to which the platform 
led up. Three rows of flower garlands in stone orna- 
mentation ran across the wall, and above them in high 
relief, human figures of colossal size — kings en- 
throned and warriors with high caps and long beards 
and trains of chained captives. Carved by some 
artist of long ago, they glared down on the human 
pigmies at their feet, the king with the cruel face 
smiling a ghastly smile from his royal throne of 
stone. 

Lund put down the parts of the photographic appa- 
ratus which he had been carrying, and motioned to 
his helpers to do likewise. At a sign from the Pro- 
fessor he put the apparatus together, and Clusius 
pointed to the spot where he wished it to stand. 

“ And now,” said Clusius, turning to the others, 
“ now you shall all see what it is that I found here 
yesterday. Now that we have the acid that was miss- 
ing before, the pictures I shall show you will have 
colour as well as light and shadow. I worked here 
over this wall for many hours yesterday. I let the new 
gases of which I spoke to you throw their influence 
on the surface, revealing the pictures to me, until I 
came to the record of an event which took place in 
these halls twenty-five hundred years ago. Here, be- 
fore this picture grew on the wall, I stopped. I 
wanted you to see it; I wanted you all as witnesses. 
The pictures which you will see here will be very faint, 
however, in outline as well as in colour, so I must 
ask you to put out your lanterns. And you/’ he 


228 


MENE TEKEL 


called to the Bedouins in Arabic, “ retire to the far 
end of the hall with your torches.” 

When his orders had been carried out, the bend 
of the wall beyond the platform was again in dark- 
ness. A faint gleam only came from the torches at 
the far end of the hall. 

“ Now, please come nearer this wall,” said the Pro- 
fessor. “ Is the apparatus ready? ” 

“ It is ready,” answered Lund. 

“ I have a word or two to say first, friends,” con- 
tinued Clusius. “ I spent many hours here yesterday, 
and was here last night again. I worked over these 
walls, and called up pictures on them of events that 
happened thousands of years ago. I alone saw. 
I saw records of imperial power; I witnessed scenes 
of despotic tryanny and wanton cruelty — murder 
after murder I saw, and homage paid to throned 
kings. The pictures were unrelated and sometimes 
unintelligible to me. But I knew that I was looking 
on at some of the great events of ancient Assyrian 
history. There were moments when it struck terror 
to my heart to realise that I stood here alone, the sole 
living witness of deeds of horror long since done, the 
sole living witness of forms resurrected from the 
dead. 

“ Last night I saw Xerxes, Darius, Cambyses, 
Cyrus, pass in review before me in this hall. Watch 
now and see what comes next, for I left it for to-day. 
Everything is ready. Lund, you will attend to the 
apparatus for me?” 

A deep breath, almost a sigh, came from several 
members of the party; the tensity of their expectation 
could be felt in the darkness. 

The apparatus began its low whirring murmur. 
All present looked towards the wall before them. 
The men had their weapons ready in their hands. 
Lund’s revolver lay before him on the platform, both 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 229 

his hands being busy at the apparatus. The Professor 
only was unarmed, engrossed by the work before 
him. 

From his pockets he took several small bottles, in- 
cluding that one which the faithful Klaus had come 
so far to bring him. He unscrewed their caps and 
placed them at the foot of the wall, then stepped back 
to where the others stood, about ten paces distant. 
They watched, expectant. 

Presently a faint glimmering seemed to come from 
the wall. It grew brighter and brighter, flickering with 
the gleam of a hundred waving lights, while various 
shapes and forms, indeterminate in outline, appeared 
upon its surface. 

And now the stones before them became a mirror, 
over which quickly moving shadow-shapes passed, 
entrancing them. Many figures in strange garb ap- 
peared there ; the room must have been closely crowded 
with living forms when the picture they saw now 
was impressed upon the wall. Pale, indistinct out- 
lines they seemed, but easily recognisable as the 
figures of ancient Assyria. 

Some of them were fleeing from something — 
wildly, and in terrified haste. They still held golden 
goblets in their hands, but they had left their places 
at the richly spread board, and in every gesture, in 
the turn of a head, and wild outstretched arms, horror, 
unreasoning horror, was portrayed. Others stood 
beside the table, frozen by this same horror into stone. 

On a high-backed chair sat one man with a tower- 
ing head-dress, and armlets that shone as if of gold. 
One of his hands clasped the arm of his chair, so that 
the veins stood out like cords. Beside him stood a 
giant Ethiopian, open-mouthed, in one arm holding 
a skin of wine, the red stream from which fell un- 
heeded to the floor at his feet. 

Several richly clad figures lay at the feet of the 


230 


MENE TEKEE 


black slave in drunken stupor, fallen there evidently 
before the terror came upon the company. 

The lips of one were parted in a drunken smile; 
another yawned. 

A high golden chair stood at the head of the table, 
but the man who sat there had risen and towered 
beside it. He was mighty in figure, wearing a great 
crown. King Belshazzar it was. He stood bending 
forward beside the wreck of his feast. His eyes, up- 
turned, stared at the wall in front of him. On his 
lips froze a smile of wicked defiance. An old man 
with a long beard lay at his feet, the king’s sword in 
his throat. 

What was it that held the king’s eyes upraised in 
terror? What had frozen the others into such atti- 
tudes of horror? 

The eyes of the living company in this hall of the 
dead, in Belshazzar’s royal seat, followed the eyes of 
the shadows there on the wall. And the living too 
shrank and shuddered at what they saw. 

High up on the wall a bright gleam of light glowed 
for an instant, and a Great Hand came out of the 
darkness and wrote there, wrote — steadily. 

“ Mene” said a voice in the deep stillness. It was 
Clusius who spoke. His voice was steady, his eye 
calm, but his heart beat more quickly than was its 
wont. 

Beside him Bridgeport sank to his knees. 

" T ekel, ” he cried, pressed his hand to his heart 
and fell at full length on the stone. 

“ Upharsin! ” 

The word shrilled through the hall in a scream of 
terror. It was Redfowles, who suddenly was seen, 
standing there beside the Professor. Madness shone 
in his eyes and quivered in his trembling lips. His 
revolver fell from his hand. The eyes of the com- 
pany, detaching themselves from the strange picture 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 231 

on the wall, turned to the man who had appeared so 
abruptly in the midst of them. The Professor’s lamp 
flared up, and the picture on the wall faded. Then 
the other lamps were lit, and Tannemore, starting 
forward with his raised revolver, halted when he saw 
Sleiding standing beside Redfowles, his hand on the 
other’s shoulder. With a voice that rang through the 
hall, the Australian spoke: 

“ James Redfowles, you are my prisoner. I arrest 
you in the name of the Padischaah, and of His 
Majesty the King of England and Emperor of India. 
The charge is attempted murder, fraud and forgery.” 

There was a pause, into which fell Chisms’ voice. 

“ Yes, he has been guilty of attempted murder, 
and of fraud, as was shown by this writing on the 
wall here. We did not need his confession, nor that 
of Bridgeport to prove it. You have all seen that the 
writing used here is hieratic, for only Daniel the 
Priest could interpret it for the King. No one else, 
not even the monarch himself, could read its meaning. 
Whether this sign be a divine miracle, or a trick of 
priestly intrigue, it matters not. The writing is hie- 
ratic and the inscriptions on the stones forged by 
Bridgeport are not like it. In the way that we have 
seen it done here, thus did men write in the Assyria of 
twenty- four hundred years ago. Bridgeport’s stones 
are forgeries, and I have proved it.” 

Tannemore grasped both his friend’s hands and 
pressed them warmly, his mouth quivering. Lund 
stood on the other side, looking at his master, his 
clear eyes full of emotion. 

Schmidgruber came forward to the other side of 
Redfowles. 

“ Better put these on him,” he said, holding out a 
pair of handcuffs. 

Sleiding looked at him in astonishment. “ Who 
are you? ” he exclaimed. 


232 


MENE TEKEL 


“ I am sent by the Imperial Austrian Police, to pro- 
tect Professor Clusius if necessary,” replied the little 
man. 

Then suddenly Redfowles awoke from the terror 
into which the writing on the wall had thrown him. 
With a scream and an oath, he wrenched himself from 
Sleiding’s grasp. 

“Mene, Tekel, Upharsin !” he cried; “ the hand- 
writing on the wall is for you — for you. Yes, I 
have deceived you all, and now you are in my power. 
It is your last moment. You shall die here at the feet 
of Belshazzar.” 

A sharp whistle rang through the hall, and from 
behind the columns, from the openings in the left 
side of the wall, poured a crowd of armed Arabs. 
Redfowles bent to take up his fallen revolver, but 
Sleiding’s foot was on it. A shot rang out, and 
Redfowles sank to the ground with a shattered ankle. 
Tannemore had aimed only to cripple, not to kill. 

The little company of eight men stood facing a 
body many times their number, but they were brave. 
Again Tannemore fired, and Musa springing forward 
to the attack, fell dead. 

The travellers themselves stood in darkness; the 
light of their lanterns showed their positions. For 
the moment no one moved on the other side of the 
hall. The Arabs stood as if lamed, while a clatter 
arose from beyond the hall and a bright flare of light 
streamed through the further doorway. The rhythmic 
beat of many feet was heard and suddenly a company 
of English marines swept into Belshazzar’s hall, fol- 
lowed by an equal number of Swedish sailors. 

The Arabs were surrounded and taken captive 
before they realised what was happening. Then the 
two officers in command of the marines came over to 
the little group of Europeans. 


IN THE HALL OF BELSHAZZAR 233 

“Which is Professor Clusius?” asked the English 
officer. 

“ I am Professor Clusius,” said the scientist, step- 
ping forward. “We are deeply in your debt for your 
valuable assistance. I fancy that you came not a 
moment too soon. Whom have we to thank for this 
timely rescue ? ” 

“ I am Lieutenant Kimberley, of H. M. S. Falcon ,” 
said the Englishman. 

“ I am Lieutenant Karlsen, of H. M. S. Nordensk- 
jold,” said the Swedish officer beside him, saluting 
his famous countryman with respectful deference. 

“ And how did you both come here — so far from 
the sea?” began Clusius, shaking hands with the 
officers. A movement at the back of the group inter- 
rupted his further speech. He turned and saw the 
Austrian detective standing with his hand upraised for 
silence over the prostrate form of Bridgeport. 

“ He is dead.” 

Lund knelt down and raised one limp hand. 
“What — what shall we do with him?” he asked. 

“ Could he not be buried here ? ” said Clusius, kneel- 
ing down to lay his hand like a silent benediction on 
the dead man’s forehead. “ He was a scholar of 
repute. Let these monuments of an age he knew well 
cover his faults, and leave only his achievements to 
be remembered by the world,” 


CHAPTER XXI 

THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT 

“ And now, gentlemen,” said Clusius to the officers, 
when they all had climbed out into the sunlight again, 
glad of its warmth and cheer, “ now, gentlemen, we 
thank you once more for your timely rescue, and we 
ask again how you happened to be, so fortunately for 
us, here in this inland spot ? ” 

“ That is not difficult to explain, Professor,” 
answered Lieutenant Karlsen. “ Sweden could not 
let her most famous son brave the dangers of the 
desert without proper protection. The Nordenskjold 
has been lying at anchor off Beyrout for some time. 
My Captain received telegraphic orders to watch for 
your coming, and to send a company of men to 
follow you through the desert. But our orders also 
stated that we were to remain at a respectful distance, 
as it was known you desired to be alone.” 

14 That was considerate indeed,” said the Professor ; 
“ I recognised the thoughtfulness of my friend the 
Prime Minister in this last order.” 

“ Then it was you who prevented the attack of the 
Rowali, and who took such good care of our faithful 
Klaus?” said Tannemore. “Permit me to restore 
your property ; ” he held out the button Klaus had 
found. “ And now tell us how we come to be under 
English protection also.” 

“ My orders were to go up the river to Babylon and 
wait for you there,” replied Lieutenant Kimberley, 
walking beside Tannemore as the party moved back 
to the camp. “ As our principal prisoner is an Eng- 

23.4 


.THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT 235 

lish subject, we will take him in charge until we return 
to the Falcon . Inspector Pitt of Scotland Yard has 
turned him over to me.” 

“Who?” asked Tannemore. 

“ I have,” replied the man they had known as 
Sleiding, stepping forward. “ I am Inspector Pitt 
of Scotland Yard.” 

“ Oh, then, Sir Edward Ceaser sent you in answer 
to my telegram? — But no, you were on the steamer 
with us,” exclaimed Tannemore, bewildered. “ How 
did you come there? And who is at the back of all 
this — this very opportune assistance ? ” 

“ I was sent to accompany you at the request of 
Lady Evelyn Tannemore,” answered the inspector. 

“ My wife!” 

“ Yes. As I understand it, Lady Evelyn asked for 
an audience with His Majesty as soon as she received 
your telegram from Stockholm. As a result of this 
interview the orders were sent to the Falcon lying 
before Beyrout, and I was detailed to accompany you 
on your journey without your knowing it.” 

“ Then it is her care that has surrounded us from 
the beginning,” said Tannemore in a low voice to Clu- 
sius. “ How can I ever thank her? ” 

“ Thank her in my name, too,” returned the Pro- 
fessor. “ Her quick wit and resourceful energy have 
been of inestimable benefit to us. Then you joined us 
on the steamer. Inspector? ” he added, turning to the 
detective. 

“ No, Professor; I was with you on the train from 
Berlin to Trieste. Do you remember the old sea- 
captain who shared the compartment with you?” 

“ Oh, yes — your disguise was excellent,” said 
Lund, who had been listening with interest. “ But 
no better than your later impersonation of the gentle- 
man from Melbourne, the proprietor of a Thought 
and Idea Agency.” 


236 


MENE TEKEL 


“ That was a good idea in itself, wasn’t it? ” replied 
the detective. “ It ought to bring an extra high price ! 
But if I fooled you, I was fooled myself completely, 
and by a fellow craftsman too. Where is he ? Here, 
friend — Schmidgruber ! But that isn’t your name, 
is it? ” 

“No; only one of those I use when occasion re- 
quires,” replied the Austrian. “ The name I am usually 
known by, my own, is Joseph Muller, member of the 
Secret Service of the Imperial Austrian Police.” 

“ He took me in completely,” said the English in- 
spector; “and that doesn’t happen often. I thought 
him a harmless crank, the best sort of companion to 
help me conceal my own identity. By the way, com- 
rade, if your theory regarding hands is not merely a 
part of your disguise, it must be very useful to you 
in your work.” 

“ It is,” replied Muller with a twinkle in his eye. 
“ But it left me in the lurch where you were con- 
cerned. I travelled with you for much the same 
reasons as those which induced you to put up with my 
company.” 

“ Then it was a joke on both of us. But I’d like 
to talk over the matter of hands with you some day.” 

“ How did you come to follow us, Mr. Muller ? ” 
asked Clusius. 

Muller explained that the Austrian government had 
received a request from London for a Secret Service 
man to follow Professor Clusius and his friends while 
on Austrian territory and an Austrian ship. 

“ As far as my official orders were concerned, I 
could have turned back home after we reached Bey- 
rout,” he continued. “ But the affair began to prove 
interesting, and I have a passion for interesting cases. 
However, I’ve been little more than a passive spectator 
in this affair, so I shall look upon it as a pleasure jaunt 


THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT 237 

merely. I have seen something of the Orient at all 
events.” 

“ And you have made some new friends — sincere 
friends, Mr. Muller,” said Clusius, with a warm pres- 
sure of the hand. 

“ Friends I shall not forget soon,” replied the de- 
tective, as Tannemore and Lund, gathering round him, 
followed the Professor’s example. 

The return journey was made by boat down the 
Euphrates, in the comfortable steam pinnaces from 
the Falcon. The two warships lay at anchor at the 
mouth of the river to give the travellers a hearty 
welcome. 

At Port Said a swarm of reporters surrounded the 
Professor, for the story of the mysterious photo- 
graphs on the Pandora had been spread abroad, and 
a curious world was waiting for an explanation of 
this last invention of the famous scientist. 

But it waited in vain. Professor Clusius’ great 
discovery was lost to the world for ever, lost with all 
its possibilities for good or for evil. And this is how 
it happened : 

About ten days after Clusius’ return to Stockholm 
he sat in his drawing-room one evening in earnest 
conversation with a group of fellow scientists. In 
his study the lamp was still burning on the desk he 
had left when his visitors were announced. The big 
note-book in which he had written down all the calcu- 
lations and formulae studied out during his journey, 
concerning his new discovery, lay open within the 
circle of light thrown by the lamp. Beside it stood 
an ash tray on which lay a still lighted cigar. Clusius 
had put it there when he rose to greet his friends. 

Beside the ash tray stood a high glass jar in which a 
small snake wriggled uneasily. The Professor had 


MENE TEKEL 


238 

caught the little animal in the garden that morning 
and put it in the jar to watch the process of skin- 
shedding. The glass was closed at the top by a bit 
of parchment with air-holes cut in it. 

It had been a very warm day even for the spring 
season, and the air was mild during the evening. The 
window was open and the soft breeze floated in over 
the desk. It seemed to make the little snake uneasy. 
He moved more violently, and struck his head sharply 
against the paper covering of the jar. At the third 
blow the paper split and the adder’s head rose out of 
it. The wicked eyes looked about the room as the 
snaky body wriggled itself free of the jar. It fell 
to the table, striking the cigar a sharp blow and throw- 
ing it with its lighted end directly upon the open book. 

In the drawing-room further down the hall a little 
group of grey-haired scholars listened in respectful 
attention to what Clusius had told them of his new 
discovery, a discovery which he himself considered 
the greatest achievement of his remarkable career. 
When he had finished speaking, one of the others 
said : 

“ You are right, Professor. This is one of the 
greatest feats science has ever given to the world. 
Not a single line of what you have written, not a 
single formula that you have worked out, must be lost. 
The sincere interest taken by you in your friend’s 
trouble produced an emotional intensity of thinking, 
a sharpening of intuition unusual even in a mind as 
great as yours. It might not be possible even for you 
to do this thing again.” 

“ You are right, friend,” agreed Clusius. “ I know 
that should anything happen to my notes I could never 
put them together again. It was one of those times 
when some power beyond us, which we do not under- 
stand, even we scientists, moves and controls us. 
Why, Klaus, what is the matter? ” He turned to the 


THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT 239 

servant who stood in the doorway, pale and trembling. 

Klaus made several unsuccessful attempts to speak, 
then finally stammered: “ Your note-book, sir — 
your note-book — •” 

“ Yes, it was on my desk — it hasn’t run off, has 
it?” 

“ It’s — it’s burned, sir.” 

The Professor rose, as pale now as his servant, and 
hurried from the room, followed by his alarmed 
friends. He stood in front of his desk, looking down 
at the blackened remains of his note-book, which the 
steady vein of smouldering fire from the cigar end 
had slowly turned to charcoal. Some of the leaves 
were only partly burned, curling up as if in protest at 
their fate. But the tiny red line of hungry flame 
crept over them relentlessly. Beyond the book lay 
the snake, its eyes fixed as if fascinated on the slowly 
uprising rings of smoke. 

There was silence in the room for a moment, broken 
by unconcealed sobs from Klaus. 

“ Shall I call Mr. Lund?” stammered the faithful 
fellow. 

“No, we need not tell him of this,” said Clusius; 
“ he starts for Copenhagen to-morrow. We must 
not cloud these happiest days of his life. The damage 
is done beyond repair — Well, possibly it was not 
to be. This thing may have had in it powers for evil 
as great as its power for good. Perhaps it is just as 
well that the world shall not know more of it.” 


And this was what Joseph Muller said when news 
came to him that the Professor’s memoranda had been 
destroyed. He had been watching the papers for 
some statement with regard to the great discovery, 
the astonishing workings of which he had witnessed 
with his own eyes. When the news was cabled of 


240 


MENE TEKEL 


the unfortunate accident by which the great invention 
was lost for ever, Muller sighed deeply. 

“ And yet,” he said, “ perhaps it is just as well 
that the world should not know more of this thing. 
It would make man too near to God. It is not right 
that we should see the past or the future too clearly. 
The present should be enough and yet — it is too bad.” 


AN EPILOGUE IN THE DESERT 

Ahmar, the Sage, stood alone on the sun-bathed roof 
of the temple in Palmyra. Below him in the huts of 
Tadmor arose a noise as of many voices. Ahmar ’s 
pupil, the young keeper of the lions, climbed the stone 
stair to tell the Sage that a stranger had come who 
would speak with him. 

Ahmar descended to the door of his study, his heart 
beating high, his eyes shining. Then they grew dim 
again when he saw that the waiting stranger was a 
Bedouin of the desert. 

“ What would’st thou with me, my son ? ” asked the 
Sheik in gentle kindliness, as the man bowed low 
before him. 

“ Glad are my eyes that they may behold Mahmud 
Ahmar, the great Chief and Sage, the friend of 
Mischoel, of whose kin I am. Davud ibm Masr brings 
greeting, O wise one. I am but a messenger to thee 
from one whom thy soul loves, whom thou hast 
honoured as a prince honours princes.” 

“ Then thou comest from him, the great one who 
is in the thoughts of both of us,” cried Ahmar. 

“ I come from him whom I was permitted to serve, 
whom I guided through the desert to Babylon. For 
long now has he been in his own land. But when the 
moon was last full a letter came from him to Abu 
Hark in Damascus, a letter enfolding another which 
Abu Hark entrusted to me. ‘ Bring it safely to 
Sheik Ahmar/ said Abu Hark ; ‘ lay it in his hands 
yourself, for it is great news that his wonderful 
friend sends him/ And now Davud stands before 
241 


242 


MENE TEKEU 


thee, O wise one, and lays the precious writing in 
thy hands.” 

Davud handed the Sheik a large letter carefully 
sealed. On the envelope were written the words : 

• “To Mahmud Ahmar , Sheik and Astronomer , in the 
Temple in Tadmor , Syria.” 

Carefully, reverently, the old man opened the letter 
and read its contents. 

“Honored brother: 

“ The book which thou hast written and given to me, 
I have shown to the learned ones of the University of 
Stockholm. When they had read it, my brother, they 
bestowed upon thee the degree and title of Doctor of 
Science of this University. Dr. Mahmud Ahmar, greet- 
ings to thee from thy comrades in learning at the Uni- 
versity, and from thy brother who loves thee well. 

“ Clusius.” 

When the Sheik had read the letter, Davud handed 
him a second package, the richly engraved and illu- 
mined diploma of the University. 

The Sage stood looking long and silently at the 
parchment, while about him there gathered a crowd 
of people from the huts, staring in respectful admi- 
ration and wonder. 

The Sheik raised his head proudly and said aloud : 
“ They have made me a Doctor of Science in the great 
University of the North.” 

Then the exaltation passed, for all about him he 
saw only wonder and childlike reverence, but no in- 
telligent understanding. He bowed his head again 
and mounted slowly to the platform of the temple. 
Here he sat down, the open parchment on his lap. 

“ Doctor of Science they have made me,” he mur- 
mured low. “ And yet I am but an Arab, a poor man 


AN EPILOGUE 


243 


among other poor men, one who sees among many 
who are blind, one who hears among those who are 
deaf — the barren desert is my home and will be my 
last resting-place.” Then his old eyes lit up again. 
“ But my book will be in the libraries of the North, 
and towards the sunset learned men will read what I 
have written, I, Mahmud Ahmar.” 

The old man raised the parchment reverently and 
pressed a kiss on it with lips that trembled. 









library of congress 



OOOEl^fitj^QP 




